On Wednesday, the city of Columbia was alive with excitement as several Juneteenth celebrations took place. One of the most significant events was the fourth annual CoMo Juneteenth Luncheon, which not only provided delicious food but also valuable health care resources to the community. The event featured booths set up by MU Health Care, Boone Health, the Red Cross, and the American Cancer Society, offering information on accessing medical resources and information about various diseases.
The COMO Juneteenth Committee organized the event, consisting of seven members who were dedicated to eliminating access barriers to health care facilities by bringing resources directly into the community. Vanessa Haywood, one of the committee members, highlighted the importance of providing easy access to health care. She emphasized that by having resources available on-site, people could quickly get checked or ask questions they may have.
Martha McCrary, another committee member, noted that many individuals are uninsured, making events like the CoMo Juneteenth Luncheon invaluable as they can benefit from the resources provided regardless of insurance status. Colton Downing, a registered nurse with Boone Health, shared his excitement about being able to connect with the community through events like this. He found it rewarding to step outside of the hospital setting and interact with a diverse group of people.
