Fan Fair Giveaway providing free electric fans to seniors, people with disabilities on June 11
Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, community organizations, and residents, hundreds of electric fans have been donated and collected to provide heat relief for seniors and people with disabilities. A "Fan Fair" Giveaway and Resource event is scheduled for Saturday, June 11 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Edison Center, 701 W. Ormsby Ave., Louisville, KY 40203.
Fans will be available at no cost for seniors 60 and older, as well as for individuals with documented, physical disabilities, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Fan Fair qualifications and guidelines are as follows:
- Person 60 years or older
- Or documentation verified by a physician of a physical disability
- Resident of Jefferson, Oldham, Henry, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble or Bullitt Counties
- Proof of address and age
- One fan per household
A Prescription Drug Toss & Resource Fair will coincide with the fan giveaway event to provide basic information from local resources. Participating vendors include AARP, JenCare, Kentuckiana Regional Planning & Development Agency (KIPDA), Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services (RCS), Anthem Kentucky Medicaid & Medicare, Senior Medicare Patrol and several other community organizations.
The Louisville Metro Police Department will also be educating and collecting prescription drugs to properly and safely dispose of unwanted or expired prescription drugs in the home.
Fan Fair is sponsored by KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living and Louisville Metro Office for Aging & Disabled Citizens (OADC). These organizations first joined forces in 2016 to implement a fan drive and the start of an annual Fan Fair Giveaway event in response to the numerous calls they received requesting heat relief.
This year’s fan collection will end June 9. Drop-off donations of new box fans can be made Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at one of the following: KIPDA, 11520 Commonwealth Drive (Lou., KY 40299); OADC, Edison Center, 701 W. Ormsby Ave., 2nd Floor; and WLKY Studio, 1918 Mellwood Ave. (Lou, KY 40206). Monetary donations either online or via check are also appreciated. More information can be found at louisvilleky.gov/fanfair.
To date, and thanks in part to a special allocation by the RCS’ Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), more than 700 fans have been collected. Some of the many donors include:
- AARP Kentucky
- JenCare Senior Medical Center
- Options to Success
- Passport Health Plan by Molina Healthcare
- Numerous individual donors
WLKY is serving as the media partner providing both on-air and on-line advertising to promote the fan collection and serving as one of the donation drop off sites. Lowe’s provided support in allowing the purchase of additional fans at cost from the monetary donations that were collected.
“We are so excited to be back for a 7th year of Fan Fair. The generosity of our community has been overwhelming. Community partners like JenCare, AARP, Options to Success, Passport Health Plan by Molina Healthcare and many more have all stepped up to support this special event. I am looking forward to engaging with the citizens in need and providing them with some much need relief.”
"Fan Fair is coming along great! I am continuously humbled by our community and how we come together to support each other,” stated Brittney Baines, the Aging and Disability Resource Center Coordinator of the KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living. It's exciting to see this amazing event take shape as all the pieces come together. Community donations continue to come in, either as physical fans or monetary donations. We are thankful for this great community that continues to prove year after year they are willing to help seniors and citizens living with disabilities. Fan Fair Giveaway event coming back in person is great to see."
Organizations interested in participating in the Fan Fair event, or individuals needing more information on making a donation, can contact Alli Woosley with OADC at (502) 574-5092, or Brittney Baines with KIPDA (502) 266-5571. More details can also be found at www.louisvilleky.gov/fanfair.
This project is funded, in part, under a contract with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services with funds from the Community Services Block Grant Act of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Tips for keeping yourself, family, and neighbors safe in extreme heat:
- Check up on friends or neighbors who live alone.
- Stay out of direct sunlight, put shades over the windows, and use cross-ventilation and fans to cool rooms.
- Never leave children, the elderly, or pets unattended in a parked car under ANY circumstances, not even for a few minutes in extreme heat. Brain damage or death can occur from the rapid rise of temperature inside of a vehicle in a matter of minutes.
- Drink plenty of liquids such as water, fruit, or vegetable juices and iced tea to replace the fluids lost by sweating. As a person ages, thirst declines. Limit intake of alcoholic beverages or fluids that have too much salt, since it can complicate existing medical problems, such as high blood pressure.
- Wear loose, lightweight, and light-colored clothing. If you must go outside during the hottest part of the day, wear a hat wide enough to protect your face. While outdoors, rest frequently in a shady area.
- Avoid overexertion and strenuous outdoor activities. Take extra precautions if you must work or spend time outside. When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening hours and take frequent rest breaks.
- Stay in an air-conditioned environment if possible. Find places in your community where you can get cool, such as libraries, shopping malls, community centers and senior centers.
- Know the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heatstroke. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heatstroke is an emergency, so call 9-1-1 immediately.
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