The Brentwood Department of Health, Psychological and Social Work Services hosted its interactive Health and Wellness Fair on May 31 at the Sonderling Center gymnasium. Numerous organizations and school district clubs came to participate in the informational gathering which allowed community members to hear about important ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally.

Speakers at the fair included Keep Smiling Therapy's Chanell Smiley, who addressed the importance of mental health and reaching out for support in times of need. In addition, BUFSD Director of School Safety Byron McCray spoke to the community regarding summer programs and the importance of staying safe when school is out for the summer months.

Community members took part in demonstrations of emotional intelligence during games of tic-tac-toe, painting calming boxes in an exercise to cope with anxiety and stress, and also hear from Suffolk County's Sheriff's Department and meet their special calming dog from Paws of War. The night also featured an interactive performance from KerboomKidz, a virtual dance and fitness company dedicated to helping kids of all ages get up and move around instead of sitting behind screens.

Many thanks go out to all of the wonderful clubs and organizations who participated in this event, including: Affirmation Station; Art Therapy; Association of Mental Health and Wellness; Avanti Home Care; Brentwood Football Cheer; Boys and Girls Club; Branches of Long Island; Brunswick; BUFSD Family Community Center/Youth Enrichment Center; Catholic Charities; CEED; Chess Club; Collaborative for Children and Families; Cornell Cooperative Extension; Eastern Farm Association; Economic Opportunity Council; Empower Assist Care Network; Families Together in New York State Inc.; Family Service League; Fidelis; Girls Inc. of Long Island; Great South Bay YMCA of Bay Shore; Hair with a Purpose; Health and Wellness Unit of Suffolk County Sheriff's Office; Health First; Hispanic Counseling Center; HOPE Club; Hope for Youth; Island Harvest; Keep Smiling Therapy; KerboomKidz; Latina Sisters; LI HeadStart; Lifeguard Club; Long Island Against Domestic Violence; Long Island Educational Partnership; Long Island Native Plant Initiative; Morrison Mentors; National Black Leadership Commission on Health Inc.; New Horizon Counseling Center; Northwell-Cohen Children's Medical Center; NYS Breast and Prostate Peer Education Project; Parents for Megan's Law; PM Pediatrics; Pride for Youth; Project Spark; Satchel Pulse; SCDHS IAP; SCO; Sepa Mujer; Sister of St. Joseph; South Oaks Hospital; Stony Brook Cancer Center; Strong Youth; Suffolk County Department of Health; and Sun River Health.

Thanks as well go out to all the community members, including members of the BUFSD Board of Education, who supported this wonderful initiative.