July 31, 2007

DALLAS (SMU) - SMU quarterback Justin Willis will be participating in the City of Dallas' Annual Mayor's Back to School Fair on Thursday, August 2, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Centennial Hall and Automobile Buildings at Fair Park. SMU will be one of over 60 organizations participating in the Fair, which will be providing a variety of services to students and their families at the fair.

Students and their families will not only receive free school supplies but also will have the opportunity to visit health and social service providers and receive free health screenings. Service providers will focus on this year's theme, "Healthy Bodies. Healthy Minds.", offering health, social, and education services for students and their parents. The goal is to detect any potential health problems that may impede the student's ability to perform well in school.

There will be health service providers offering vision screenings, dental screenings, immunization services, blood pressure screenings, information on CHIP and Medicaid applications, sickle cell screenings, obesity, asthma, and sports physicals.

Other social providers will provide information on drug and gang prevention, dropout prevention, school retention, establishing and maintaining PTA units, and scholarships.

City of Dallas departments will provide information on recycling, storm water, grandparents raising grandchildren, fire prevention, aviation, Trinity River Project, mosquito information, air pollution, and other information on city program and services. The Dallas Police Department will provide fingerprinting kits for Safe-Kids program.

For more information on registering to receive free school supplies or to volunteer at the 2007 Mayor's "Back-to-School" Fair, click here or call 2-1-1.