Bountiful Blessings Church, located at 820 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Sebring, hosted its bi-annual Wellness Helps Day on Saturday, welcoming community members for a morning dedicated to health education, preventative screenings, and supportive resources for local individuals and families.
The free, open-to-the-public outreach event offered a wide range of services aimed at promoting whole-person wellness. Attendees received physician screenings, vision assessments, dental checks, blood sugar and diabetes exams, and blood pressure screenings. Nutrition guidance, including practical meal planning tips, was also available to help families make healthier food choices at home. Additional services included hearing support, fitness demonstrations, victim services, and access to mental health resources.
Each booth represented different specialists from across the community. They had much to offer participants, were welcoming, and ready to assist.
Heading up the Health Department booth were Shayla Thompson and Rebecca Ibarra, who provided information about services available at their Lake Placid, Sebring, and Avon Park locations. In addition to medical services, the department offers diabetes education classes and hurricane preparedness resources.
During the event, they distributed glucose meters and blood pressure monitors to community members. They also gave away books for children and young readers.
The Health Department features book vending machines at its locations, where children who complete their appointments receive a token to select a free book to take home. This is a grant-funded reading initiative designed to encourage literacy while promoting positive healthcare experiences.
“Reading is also a part of having good health,” Thompson said.
The event was organized by Chantel Parris, who has worked for 32 years as a Family Support Specialist at Champion for Children in Sebring. Energetic and upbeat, Parris exudes positivity and passion for serving the community.
“I love it. It’s such a joy because we have so much to contend with, but people can get it all right here,” Parris said.
Her goal was to provide community members with multiple health care services in one convenient location.
“Transportation is a barrier, so I wanted to make a health fair reachable,” she explained. In addition to transportation challenges, scheduling appointments with long wait times, sometimes for months, can prevent individuals from receiving care.
“My goal is to make it a one-stop shop,” Parris added. “How long would it take to do all this individually? Your spirit’s needs are important, but an event like this focuses on the whole person, Mind, body, spirit.
“Word of mouth goes a long way, and we are watching this program get established in our community. It is something that is really needed,” Parris said. “This helps people get established with treatment who otherwise wouldn’t know where to begin.”
Early detection of illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure helps lower the risk of serious health complications and encourages individuals to seek ongoing care.
During the event, attendees received services such as a physical consultation, an initial dental exam, an eye exam, diabetes screening, blood pressure screening, and more, in a place where folks felt comfortable and welcomed.
“I just asked,” said Parris, “and people wanted to volunteer their time.” Professionals from the medical and services communities came in to volunteer on a Saturday because they wanted to help. “I want people to know we care, we support, we are here, Bountiful is here.”
Parris collaborated closely with Samantha Stulzaft, health coach and educator from AdventHealth’s Nutritional Wellbeing Center, to help brainstorm and organize the event. The outreach was held with the full support of Bishop Brian Dozier of Bountiful Blessings Church, who continues to champion initiatives that uplift and strengthen the Sebring community.
“I make every effort to help the people in the community,” Dozier said. “We are providing a safe and familiar space where people want to come back because they feel like they matter.”
He acknowledged that many families face difficult financial decisions.
“Some people are making very hard choices between rent and health care, or groceries and health care,” he said. “I want to make sure people get what they need without burden or judgment.”
Dozier brings out the reality of the decisions that people face. “You may be worried about paying for your house, but you must be healthy enough to live in it,” Dozier said.
The Samaritan’s Touch Care Center, a bilingual, faith-based, free clinic serving Highlands County, was also in attendance at the health fair. The organization provides physician care, dental services, vision care, and mental health support to individuals without health insurance.
According to volunteer Bill Stephenson, there are nearly 20,000 uninsured residents in Highlands County between the ages of 18 and 64. He noted that Samaritan’s Touch Care Center delivers approximately $40 million worth of services within the county. Individuals may complete an application to become a patient.
The organization operates through grant funding and private donations, helping ensure continued access to care for those without insurance.
“If you need to be seen by a doctor and go to the emergency room, that could cost thousands of dollars,” Stephenson said. “If you are self-pay and don’t have it, that’s a heavy burden. Our organization will see you for free. Donations are not required, but if someone can donate, even $5, it helps keep the organization running.”
Samaritan’s Touch Care Center also has its own dispensary, allowing patients to receive needed medications on-site rather than going to a pharmacy. Stephenson added that diabetes remains a major concern in the area. While food banks are plentiful in Highlands County, access to fresh fruits and vegetables can be limited, making healthy eating more challenging for many families.
These realities highlight why events like Wellness Helps Day matter so deeply. Access to screenings, education, medication, and supportive services can make the difference between managing a condition early and facing serious and costly complications later. By bringing medical professionals, educators, and community organizations together under one roof, Bountiful Blessings Church is helping to close gaps in care and make resources more accessible to those who need them most.
“We are having conversations and listening to the people, and we will grow the program according to their needs,” Parris said.
The bi-annual Wellness Helps Day reflects the church’s ongoing commitment to addressing both physical and emotional well-being and ensuring that vital resources remain accessible to local families. The next Wellness Helps Day will be in July of 2026 at the Bountiful Blessings Church. Contact 863-991-5112 for more information.
Samaritan’s Touch Care Center is at 2306 Hope Circle in Sebring. Contact 863-471-1870 or visit the website at www.SamaritansTouch.org
The phone number to the Department of Health in Highlands County is 863-386-6040.
