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2 | CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION
Grand Canyon University continued its strong
community outreach efforts over the weekend
by supporting the Canyon Cares/Arvizu Ninos
Seguros Back to School Health & Safety Fair.
More than 5,500 Canyon Corridor community
youth and their families were on campus Saturday
for the 11
th
annual event in the Antelope Gym.
The event prepared children to return to school
by providing free backpacks, school supplies
and health screenings. Those who completed
the health screenings were eligible to win prizes
which included 10 bikes, five laptops and five
iPads from local vendors. The event also included
karate demonstrations and safety presentations
and families were able to interact with Phoenix
City Councilman Daniel Valenzuela.
Faith Weese, GCU’s chief university relations
officer, who has been involved with nearly every
Ninos Seguros event, said Saturday’s was the
biggest in its history.
“This is an amazing event and the only one of its
kind in west Phoenix,” Weese said. “It is the event
of the year for our Canyon Corridor youth and
families as they prepare for the first day of school
once again. It was an exciting day and probably
the most successful ever.”
GCU had more than 100 volunteers on campus,
among them 40 students from the College
of Nursing and Health Care Professions who
provided thousands of free screenings, including
eye exams and basic checkups.
Connie Colbert, director of the Canyon Health
and Wellness Center, volunteered at the event for
the first time and supervised the nurse volunteers.
“It was an educational opportunity for nursing
students to apply lessons from GCU courses and
for community members to become more aware
of their health needs and receive training on basic
self-care,” she said.
“This event is great for our students and the
community. Our students were able to receive
practical application of what they are being taught
in class, and people in the community had the
opportunity to have their vision tested or blood
pressure checked and learn how to stay healthy,”
she said.
Forty GCU nursing students volunteered to
provide thousands of health screenings.
Health screenings began at 9 am, but waiting
lines to the three screening rooms were out
the door as early as 8 am, said senior nursing
volunteer April McKay who helped with
eye exams.
McKay, who plans to graduate in December,
volunteered in order to obtain community clinical
hours needed to graduate. The event provided
valuable experience working with community
members that she hadn’t received in two previous
clinical rotations, McKay said.
She said she enjoyed the event and hopes to
volunteer again after graduation.
“Helping as an alumni obviously won’t affect
my grades or help me graduate, but I enjoyed it
enough that I want to do it again,” McKay said.
“It was just a great experience.”
Ninos Seguros event strengthens local community ties
by Cooper Nelson
An estimated
5,500 GCU
community
members
received health
screenings and
supplies at the
11
th
Annual
Canyon Cares
and Ninos
Seguros Back
to School &
Safety Fair.