Spring has sprung across LA, and the North Area Neighborhood Development Council has teamed up with Charles Drew University to hold this years Spring Into Health Festival at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center.

The festival, scheduled for Saturday, March 31st, offers a fun way to raise awareness in the community about health, fitness, and nutrition through various activities, workshops, and screenings.

Free dental, vision, and health screenings will be on offer, as well as fitness tips and other information about health care coverage programs.

Yelba Castellon, the at large representative for the North Area Neighborhood Development council, is helping to organize this years event.

Having grown up in South Los Angeles, Castellon strives to give back to her community and hopes that this years Spring Heath Festival will help to make a difference.

I think the reason why were all on the Empowerment Council is to address issues of our community, and its no surprise that South Los Angeles needs more access to health screenings, Castellon said. Were trying to respond to the community needs.

This year, the festival includes a Kids' Spring Fun Zone, complete with carnival games, arts and crafts, face painting, and an Easter egg hunt, as well as an Earth Day Zone, which will include planting activities for families and provide environmentally oriented information.

In addition, there will be an inflatable obstacle course, tennis clinics, yoga and fitness classes, free health screenings, and over 70 vendor booths.

Last year, more than 40 non-profit organizations and vendors helped to make the festival a success. Charles Drew University and UCLA volunteers also participated.

We had so many different organizations involved. Charles Drew University really stepped it up and was a great partner. They had tons of volunteers. UCLA came out and their dentistry program did free dental work, said Cassandra Reyes, the senior recreation director at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center.

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Health Festival: Face Paints, Fitness