By KATIE HURST/ Staff Writer

WILTON — Residents of South Shelby County can learn more about their health this weekend and receive free screenings in Wilton.

Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church will host South Shelby County’s first health fair from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sept. 18 at 494 Depot Street in Wilton.

About 25 vendors will be at the fair offering free screenings to the community, including eye screening, blood pressure and diabetes, said church member Felicia Lilly.

The church decided to host the fair to make health care access easier for community members, she said. People lacking health care or transportation to a physician can receive a free health screenings at the fair.

“We wanted to bring the doctors to them,” she said. “Our ministry is doing this to give back to the community, to let them know we care as we’re with them in this fight.”

The fair will also include music, information pamphlets and free healthy food, including turkey franks, smoothies and vitamins.

“It’s basically healthy stuff to get people back on track,” Lilly said. “A lot of people go to church but they loose focus on their health.”

The church plans to continue focusing on health as a way to help the community, Lilly said. In the future, they’d like to apply for grants to open a health clinic nearby.