Georgia College & State University’s front campus was flooded with guests and vendors at Baldwin County’s 10th annual ArtHealthy Festival this weekend.
According to its website, the goal of the festival is to “promote art and healthy living in Central Georgia.”
The celebration was free and open for the public to attend. This community event hosted dozens of vendors, ranging from Georgia artists to local health organizations.
Sheila Simpson, a licensed insurance agent at Ambetter Health Insurance with Peach State Management Group, was one of many vendors at the ArtHealthy Festival.
“We’re helping individuals who need health insurance who do not qualify through their jobs. In the community, a lot of people are just not aware of the resources that are available to them,” Simpson said. “So, we’re just kind of making sure that anybody who needs health insurance knows what their options are and assisting them with the process.”
Simpson also noted that the festival is impactful to the Baldwin County and greater Milledgeville area because it gives community members a platform to network health organizations to understand other local resources and programs that they can take advantage of. She added that, in addition to health insurance, Ambetter also offers services of hospice care and other benefits, which many people are unaware of.
According to the United States Census Bureau, approximately 14% of Milledgeville residents under the age of 65 do not have health insurance. This is higher than the national rate, with the Census Bureau also reporting that 10.8% of adults from 19-64 did not have any form of health insurance in 2022.
The most recent United States Census survey also found that locally 39.9% of people live at or below the poverty line. This number is also in stark contrast to the national poverty rate, which stood at 11.5% as of 2022, as stated by the United States Census Bureau.
These statistics only add to the mission of the festival, and the need to have a free and easily accessible place to gain information on local health organizations and possible benefits.
“We’re getting all out together, we can see what all the different businesses have to offer, and build our community,” said Joanna, a staff nurse at a local healthcare group, who was also running a vendor table at ArtHealthy.
Other than vendors, the ArtHealthy Festival also hosted many other activities, such as live music, aerobic activities, a bike rodeo, carnival and field day games, and caricature portraits offered by local artist Fitzroy James.
There also was a Walk-Run-Ride event as a part of the festival, with organizers offering attendees a 31-mile bike ride, a 63-mile bike ride, a one-mile fun run, and a 5K run, taking place throughout Saturday morning.
Sponsors of the event included the City of Milledgeville, Atrium Health, T-Shirts To-Go, Georgia College Center for Health and Social Issues, Baldwin County Schools, and more.
For more information about the ArtHealthy Festival, its vendors and sponsors, you can visit arthealthy.org, call 478-387-0200, or email toyia@createwithus.org.