DANBURY, CONN. — Western Connecticut State University will again host an annual health fair — but this year it will have a wider community outreach, thanks to the “One Book, One Community” (OBOC) read that focuses on mental illness.

The Health and Wellness Fair will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009, in the Student Center on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. Information about depression, anxiety, addictions, interpersonal violence and safety will be available, along with health care information and services such as massages. The fair is free and the public is invited.

This year’s planning committee for the health fair involved agencies from outside WestConn, including Danbury Hospital, the Western Connecticut Mental Health Network and the Mental Health Association of Connecticut.

The idea of this year’s health fair was to expand the event into an OBOC health fair to attract more local agencies, especially those that support mental health. The Danbury Visiting Nurse Association will offer flu shots at a cost of $20 from noon to 2 p.m., and blood pressure testing and bone density testing will be available.

The OBOC read, “Hurry Down Sunshine,” is a true story about a teenage girl’s descent into madness as told by her father. It chronicles the effects of mental illness on Sally and her family.

For more information, call (203) 837-8594.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.