Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Events topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves cosponsorship and fee waiver for Sickle Cell Awareness Walk
Summary
Council approved a cosponsorship and fee waiver (about $5,700) for a first annual Sickle Cell Awareness Walk and health fair in September; an organizer said the event began as a family response to a loved one’s illness and aims to bring testing and education to the Peninsula.
The council approved a cosponsorship and fee waiver on Aug. 6 to support the inaugural Sickle Cell Awareness Walk and health fair scheduled for Sept. 19 at Laguna Grande Park.
Dan Milas, assistant city manager, summarized the request: the city would waive park rental, stage and bounce-house fees and provide two police officers for road closures; total city costs were described as approximately $5,700. The event organizers discussed plans to partner with the Red Cross and CSUMB for blood drives and educational booths.
An organizer (a family member) described creating the walk to honor a granddaughter who lived with sickle cell disease and to fill a regional gap in awareness and local resources. "There was nothing from 2 hours north, 2 hours south, or 2 hours east of us, regarding sickle cell awareness," the organizer said, explaining outreach to regional specialists and educational partners.
Councilmembers expressed support, noted the disease’s prevalence in people of African ancestry while also acknowledging affected Latino and Mediterranean populations, and emphasized the health-equity importance of local awareness and resources. The council approved the waiver and cosponsorship by unanimous vote.
What’s next: organizers will finalize partnerships for blood drives and education booths; city staff will coordinate permit details and the public-safety plan for the walk.
