INGHAM COUNTY - The new school year is quickly approaching and that means buying the essentials. The Ingham County Health Department is focused on providing children with something that will not come on the back to school shopping list.

This week the Ingham County Health Department is putting on a Back to School Health Fair. Parents are invited to bring their children to the Ingham County Health Building for information on how to stay healthy along with what local health care providers can offer them.

Debbi Edokpolo, Deputy Health Officer of Public Health Services, says that the event is for more than just information.

"Children need immunizations to go to school and so this is truly and opportunity to come in and get those immunizations to make sure that you have good oral health," Edokpolo said. "Also to find out information on how to be healthy overall."

Booths are located on the main floor of the Human Services Building located at 5303 Lake Lansing St., immunizations, hearing and vision screenings are located on the second floor.

Edokpolo says the event is not exclusive to Ingham County residents.

"We see a lot of people across our counties, Clinton County, Eaton County," Edokpolo said. "We're all around sort of the same area so we see a variety of children from different areas."

The event is also interactive for children. To encourage participants to visit all of the booths, children receive a yellow piece of paper that is stamped after visiting different booths. The paper is then turned in for prizes ranging from candy to water bottles.

The health fair is open this week on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Walk-ins are welcome, but immunizations are limited.