Adams County school district promotes family-friendly health fair in Seaman

Low-cost labs, health screenings and a chance to meet providers were the draw at Saturday’s ACRMC Health Fair at North Adams High School in Seaman, where Adams County Ohio Valley School District turned a community post into a reminder that the nearest help is often the most useful help. The fair ran from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the North Adams High School gymnasium at 96 Green Devil Dr., with the school district pitching it as a family-friendly event instead of a stiff medical stop.

The setup leaned hard into accessibility. Along with the screenings and labs, the fair offered prizes, a kids learning zone and a Teddy Bear Clinic, where children could bring a stuffed animal for a playful check-up. The district also said the theme was the 70s and invited families to dress for a Best Dressed Contest, a small touch that helped the event feel less clinical and more like a neighborhood gathering.

That approach matters in Adams County, where ACRMC describes itself as a 25-bed critical access hospital near Seaman, about 60 miles east of Cincinnati, and says it is committed to delivering care when and where the community needs it with warmth and neighborliness. In rural places like this, convenience can decide whether a family gets preventive care at all. A fair held at a familiar high school gymnasium lowers that barrier in a way a distant appointment often cannot.

The fair also fit a longer county pattern. ACRMC hosted a health fair in 2017 that drew more than 300 people and included more than 30 vendors. In 2024, a larger Adams County health fair brought together Cincinnati Children’s, Adams County Public Health, ACRMC, ACRMC Family Medicine, Adams County Ohio Valley Schools and Manchester Local School District, with Cincinnati Children’s saying the partnership was meant to increase health-care education and access, strengthen connections to community and social services, and improve health outcomes for kids.

The May 2 fair was part of that same local strategy, and the benefit did not end when the gym doors closed. A community listing said low-cost labs tied to the event were set to continue through May 15, extending the reach of the fair beyond one Saturday morning in Seaman.