Choctaw County Flea Market kicks off their second event this year

CHOCTAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- The Choctaw County Flea Market took place this Saturday at the Choctaw Regional Medical Center in Ackerman, and some vendors are finding new ways to help out the community.

The semi-annual Choctaw County Flea Market took place for the second time this year early Saturday morning.

“In 2012, we started a ‘Turning the Tide on Poverty’ project. So we wanted a venue where families could come together and sell yard sale items or handcrafted items as a way to earn extra income for their families,” said Juli Hughes.

Vendors of the flea market sold everything from vegetables, antiques, clothing items, jewelry, and books. Farmer Teresa Ervin said it’s important to introduce healthy eating into children’s lives at an early age.

“We like to teach the kids about the importance of healthy food and growing it naturally,” said Teresa Ervin.

But Teresa isn’t the only vendor looking out for the community’s health. The Associate Nursing Program at Holmes County Community College in Grenada is also trying to make an impact.

“We’re checking blood pressure, we’re teaching people the signs and symptoms of stroke, diabetes, and what to look out for, and things like that and flu prevention,” said Sarah Bowen.

When I arrived at the flea market today, my blood pressure was the last thing on my mind, but thanks to the ADN Program at Holmes Community College in Grenada, I found out that my blood pressure was actually 148 over 88 and is considered on the higher end of the spectrum for my age group.

Sarah Bowen of the ADN Program said it’s common for people to not realize they have high blood pressure and that people often overlook signs of trouble.

“They might think that a little bit of indigestion is just indigestion, but it could actually be signs of heart disease or a heart attack,” said Sarah Bowen.

Booths and vendors like these are the reason event coordinators think the flea market is so important to the community.

“An event like this just brings the community together,” said Ervin.

And many hope the event continues to grow in the future.

“I’d like to see more people come out,” said Bowen.

Bowen also said that anyone with high blood pressure should check it periodically throughout the week and consult their doctor if it doesn’t go down.

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