Although the UMA Health Clinic at Baker Place, 5050 Ames Ave., has been a fixture in the neighborhood for years, there were many people living in the surrounding area who, until recently, didn’t know about its services or the work of the adjacent UNMC-sponsored North Omaha Community Care Council (NOCCC). This lack of awareness was challenged in a big way on May 31, when almost 1,000 people participated in an open house at the clinic and NOCCC offices.
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Nearly 1,000 people attended the parade, which featured drill team performances. | UNMC’s Prevention Man Super Hero for Wellness participated in the parade. |
“The entire program was quite successful,” said Wayne Houston, UNMC liaison to North Omaha and coordinator of the day’s festivities. “Our main objective was to expose more of the community to the clinic, its staff and its many services. We had received a number of reports about people not knowing what kind of treatments and services were available and the clinic’s role in the community. In addition, people also didn’t fully understand the role NOCCC and Community Partnership play in fighting health disparities throughout the neighborhood.”
The parade proved to be an excellent idea. Although the parade only had 20 units – including UNMC-sponsored Prevention Man, the American Red Cross and Girls, Inc. – the majority of the units were North Omaha drill teams. Many of the drill teams had 30 to 40 marchers and drummers, plus large contingents of parents and chaperones. With the exception of the Ol’ Skool Drill Team and Over-the-Hill Drill Team – all-adult units of former youth drill team members – the drill units were filled with high stepping, rump-shaking, energetic children and teenagers. The NOCCC was able to get almost every North Omaha drill team to participate, something that usually only happens at the annual Juneteenth Parade or the biennial Native Omaha Days Parade.
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The UMA Clinic and Mobile Nursing Unit are pictured before the parade units arrived and people filled the lot. | Wayne Houston, center, with Rick MacInnes, Qwest Community Focus Group, and Scharol Bronson, client resource specialist, Nebraska Health Connection/Douglas County and member of the NOCCC. |
At parade’s end, each unit received an opportunity to showcase two complete routines for the entire crowd. No ribbons or trophies were distributed, but each unit performed with the enthusiasm of a full-blown competition. While the drill presentations drew large crowds outside the clinic and NOCCC offices, visitors entered the UNMC Mobile Nursing Unit for health screenings or went inside to meet clinic staff and get refreshments.
The Mobile Nursing Unit staff provided screenings for 67 adults. The food staff prepared hot dogs, Sloppy Joe sandwiches, chips and sodas for 650 people, and the food was all gone in less than three hours. Scores of small children enjoyed carnival games and jumped or crawled around in inflatable fun houses that were free of charge.
In addition, there was brisk activity at booths hosted by representatives of UNMC/NHS Community Partnership Tobacco Prevention Program and Qwest Community Focus Group. Antonia Correa, tobacco prevention specialist, had an impromptu meeting with special guests DJ Bizzy Bee and Houston Alexander, assistant director of promotions, from radio station Hot 107.7-97.3 FM. The station sponsors a youth-oriented anti-drug and violence presentation titled, “The Birth of Hip Hop.” The program advocates the positive roots of rap and hip hop music. Correa and the radio team now plan to do joint appearances at neighborhood youth programs, combining positive hip hop with the anti-tobacco message.
The primary sponsors of the day’s events were NHS/UNMC Community Partnership and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Baker’s Supermarkets, Pepsi Cola Company, Rotella’s Bakery and the Frito-Lay Company donated all the food supplies.
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Antonia Correa with DJ Bizzy Bee, left, and Houston Alexander. | Anita Lee, coordinator, Munroe-Meyer Institute Doing Great Project, enters Mobile Nursing Unit with her kids. |
“The open house was designed as a one-time event,” Houston said. “But we feel the community response and enthusiasm was so outstanding we are going to explore ways to channel that energy and interest into some other on-going opportunities to draw more young people our Baker Placefacilities.”