SELMONT — Tipton Middle School was a Mecca for valuable information and free health services Saturday morning thanks to Selmont Community Development Inc. and many more organizations.

Aside from free flu shots, health insurance information and school supplies, nursing students from Wallace Community College were also available to check blood pressure, weight and diabetes risks.

“We also have the dentist here who will be checking children dentistry,” said Vivian Jones, president of  Selmont Community Development Inc. “This is all free for the community, we just want them to come out and get checked out.”

The purpose of the SCDC, Jones said, is to promote a vibrant, balanced and solid community. Its mission is to develop neighborhood leadership, work with public and private resources and build a community free of poverty and prejudice.

This is the first event the SCDC has put together.

“This brings the community together as a whole and gives us fellowship and allows us to get to know each other better,” Jones said. “Nothing builds a better community than for you to get to know your neighbors and to watch out for each other.”

Jackie Averhart, principal of Tipton Middle School, agreed saying that, “the community coming together and doing great work like this is always a good thing. We need things like this to really succeed and develop a strong community.”

Jones added that the SCDC decided to host the event at Tipton Middle School because it is between the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Craig Field.

“It’s at the center, so we figured it would be the perfect location for something like this,” she said. “And Tipton has been a big part of this community forever.”

Along with free school supplies and health screenings, several posters concerning breast cancer awareness were displayed around the Tipton gymnasium, which were made by students in the Dallas County Career Tech program.

Free Zeigler’s hotdogs, juice and water were also provided.

Jones said she thought the event went spectacular and she can’t wait to host more.

“This is just so beneficial for the community,” she said. “We need more things like this.”