If you live in the South Carolina area, you might be interested to hear about the Community Health Fair being held on Saturday, September 18th. It's a morning event, being held from nine a.m. to noon, hosted by the Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville.

There will be educational exhibits on such topics as breast health, heart health, pregnancy, hospice care and stroke awareness and more. There will be FREE health screenings in stress management, balance, blood pressure, depression, eyes and body-mass index.

In addition, there will be a variety of lab tests being offered by the hospital at only five dollars each – get a reading on your thyroid, cholesterol, blood sugar, and a comprehensive metabolic panel test. Many of the lab tests require an eight-hour fasting period, so participants may choose to have their blood work done between Sept. 12 and the 17th – you can pick up your results at the health fair, with professionals on hand to help you with understanding your results.

There are even childrend's events, including face-painting and games, fingerprinting and a baby crawl race for infants. Expectant mothers should check out the Special Delivery area, where a tour and deluxe services await them.

A word of caution from a seasoned skeptic, though – that looks like a LOT of events and choices for attendees, and there's a limited time to see everything. Only three hours, not counting those who come in early for the blood work.

Other health fairs and free clinics all over the country have been reporting record attendance lately, so you might want to expect a certain amount of time spent waiting in line, and plan which events, screenings, and professionals you want to talk to. Prioritize, and make the most of the fair while you can.