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More than 400 people visited United Neighbors Inc., in Davenport on Saturday as the Calvary 7th Day Adventist Church kicked off its first-ever Community Health Fair.

And the church hopes for the health fair to become an annual event.

The Rev. Terry Williams of the Calvary 7th Day Adventist Church, at 1218 Fillmore St. said Saturday's event was an attempt to lay the groundwork for the annual health fair. Community health fairs, in fact, are a tradition for 7th Day Adventist churches across the country.

"This is a good response," he said. "We get an opportunity to touch base with the community."

That community not only involved the parish, but was opened to anyone who wanted to stop in. The fair provided hot food, beverages and music for all participants.

The parking lot of United Neighbors, 808 Harrison St., served as a mini-market. Groceries, clothing and sanitary items that had been purchased or donated were available for the taking. A Care Kit of sanitary items that most take for granted had even been assembled. They contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, washcloth and floss.

Milton E. Miller, of the Kirkwood 7th Day Adventist Church in St. Loius, Mo., drove a truck down carrying most of the items. "It's always a joy, and the Lord sure cooperated," he said, acknowledging the weather and turnout.

Inside were informational booths. Vendors included the American Red Cross of the Quad-Cities Area, the Mississippi Bend AEA, Community Health Care Center, Inspiration from Trinity's Terrace Park, Heart of the Quad-Cities, the Scott County Health Department, Quad-City African-American Coalition for HIV/AIDS preventions, the Quad-City Rape/Sexual Assault Counseling program, and Beyond Hope.

"We want to serve the under- and non-insured," said Peggy Patch of the Community Health Care Center, Inc.

Success of the day's events is owed in part to Bernice Jones and Lilie Hopkins Faultz. Jones is the community service director at Calvary, while Faultz is the Central States Conference community service director in St. Louis.

"I want to do like Jesus did," Fautlz said. "You never found Christ in a building, He was always out mingling with the people."

Faultz never will be found sitting idle either. She has been involved in service for 22 years, the past six years she has been involved on a full-time basis.

Both women hope to also reach out to younger members of the church to get them more involved in service. In their efforts, they occasionally will work with Pathfinders, the 7th Day Adventists' equivalent of scouting. Their hopes are to inspire others to step up to the plate and carry on the church's tradition of service. "I'm going to carry the ball until someone else takes it," Jones said.

The 78-year-old even has a motto to keep herself going: "Service to others is the rent you pay for your space on earth — I'm not ready to get evicted yet."