Community health promotion and outreach is an important part of our program. We regularly provide a variety of free or low-cost events in the community, and we always welcome suggestions for new events or ideas!
Some of our community events include:
A one-hour class on a specific diabets-related topic with a free healthy lunch provided. Open to the public.
Cooking classes & demonstrations, exercise classes, and Diabetes 101 classes offered for free and in a group setting onsite at OKMH or at various locations in the community such as churches, food pantries, senior centers, and more.
Diabetes, wellness, or healthy cooking classes provided for employees onsite or at OKMH typically at no charge to the employer.
We partnered with Kenedy Walmart to provide a walking tour through the grocery department for hands-on nutrition education. Requires small groups of six or less.
We offer free blood sugar or A1c readings at events throughout the year. Our biggest event occurs each November for World Diabetes Day where we partner with other local agencies to provide a full day of multiple free diabetes and health screenings at OKMH.
We use a kid-friendly curriculum to provide health education to kids of Karnes County in an effort to prevent diabetes. Each "class" has a health lesson with hands-on activities such as crafts or cooking lessons. We also have a variety of equipment to provide a fun group game to get kids moving & active!
Our Annual Karnes County Diabetes Dash 5K has become one of our most fun & anticipated events of the year! Our event coincides with the American Diabetes Association's American Diabetes Alert Day at the end of March. In 2026, we had almost 200 racers from across almost a dozen South Texas counties!
We offer group classes/events for the public throughout the year.
To request or schedule a group class or event for your group or organization, contact our office at (830) 583-9304.