DECATUR - Not even a weeklong celebration can put preventative education on the backburner.

Community Health Improvement Center is celebrating National Community Health Center Week through the continuing education of its clients and the public. CHIC is setting up display boards and posters each day this week focusing on a different aspect of health and healthy living. The center is also giving away prizes to clients.

"Every day we have a table with posters, which showcases the areas that the health center addresses," said Barbara Dunn, executive director of CHIC.

By doing so, CHIC can showcase the need for not only itself but community health centers across the nation, said Susan Moore, director of operations.

"We saw 7,400 patients here last year," Moore said. "We are the stop-gap between people who can afford medical care and who can't. It needs to be recognized."

CHIC is a nonprofit health care facility. Sixty percent of CHIC's patients are on Medicaid and 20 percent are uninsured. The rest are on Medicare or have private insurance, Moore said.

Clinical director Carolyn Wagner came up with the ideas for the display boards, Moore said, adding, "I like it so much, I think we should do it more often."

Clients coming through CHIC can learn about heart disease and stroke, mental health and more. Tuesday's display explained aspects of pediatric care and showcased facts and tips about asthma.

"We wanted to have an asthma display because we're part of a national collaborative for asthma education and treatment," Moore said.

Brochures are sitting out with the display boards, and there are signups for drawings for giveaways such as CHIC cups and tote bags. The center also is giving away "bumper stickers" that children can wear across the back of their shoes, which focus on things like not smoking and good nutrition, Moore said.

Courtney Klemm can be reached at cklemm@herald-review.com or 421-6968.