Free health screenings and information on health and wellness services will be available at the 12th Annual Health and Fitness Fair in Maryville.

Rita Miller is the Community Relations and Development Manager at SSM Health St. Francis Hospital in Maryville. Miller said they developed a partnership with Maryville Parks and Rec to put on the health fair each year.

“We’re always hoping that our residents in the area understand they just need to get up and move and see what services and products might be available to them to help achieve some of their health goals,” Miller said. “We know that obesity and heart disease are the two key areas in our community that need to be addressed and we’re hoping that some of those individuals that may be having some concerns about those disease conditions in their lives might come out and see what we might have available to achieve some goals.”

At the health fair, free screenings will be offered for blood pressure, lung capacity and  finger-stick cholesterol and glucose.

“It gives people the opportunity to check and see where their health is… so they can maybe set some goals for the rest of the year,” Miller said.

Anyone planning to take part in the blood draw is asked to fast for at least 8 hours (no food or drink except water). The blood screening will be limited to the first 100 participants and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Miller said there will be 25 to 30 vendors at the fair including Advanced Dermatology, Curves,  Lettuce Dream, the University of Missouri Extension and Rogers Pharmacy, a sponsor of the health fair. There will also be free samples and giveaways, door prizes and a bounce house for kids.

The Health & Fitness Fair will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 26, at the Maryville Community Center, 1407 N. Country Club Road.