La Mesa’s Journey Church assisting at Kids Care Fest health fair

The Grossmont Healthcare District and the City of La Mesa, organizers of the 2013 Kids Care Fest on Saturday, Sept. 21 at Briercrest Park in La Mesa, has announced that Journey Church will participate at the event. David Merk, the church’s community impact pastor, said church members will oversee arts and crafts activities and face painting at the community health fair event that features free health care screenings for children.

Merk said several church members planning to attend Kids Care Fest also participated this past summer in church-sponsored, week-long day camps for children held in La Mesa, Tecate, Mexico and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He said the church’s decision to support Kids Care Fest is among several current activities that assist the community, including clean-up efforts at public parks, feeding homeless people in Downtown San Diego and collecting backpacks and suppliers for students and teachers at San Miguel Elementary School in Lemon Grove, Prospect Avenue School in Santee, La Mesa Middle School and Monte Vista High School. Journey Church draws 2,200 weekly attendees to three weekend services at its La Mesa location at 8363 Center Dr.

The 12th annual Kids Care Fest on Sept. 21 will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Briercrest Park is located at 9001 Wakarusa St., behind Grossmont Hospital. Organizers expect more than 1,000 children under age 12 will receive free, potentially life-saving, health care screenings, including hearing, vision and dental screenings, from healthcare professionals. Also available at the event will be free medical information from pediatricians, dermatologists and pharmacists, along with free kids fingerprinting. Additional free activities will include water safety, inflatables and pony rides, as well as demonstrations and displays from law enforcement and free children’s reading books while supplies last.

Kids Care Fest will be a smoke‑free event. Free parking will be available at Sharp Grossmont Hospital's Brier Patch campus at 9000 Wakarusa St. For more information, phone (619) 825‑5050 or visit www.KidsCareFest.org.