Infinity Reflections
Infinity Reflections
AdventHealth
On a bright Sabbath, September 27, 2025, in Heartland, a region in south central Florida, the spirit of community and compassion came alive. AdventHealth, alongside 11 local Seventh-day Adventist churches, united in a mission to bring free health care and support to hundreds of Highlands and Hardee County residents. This collaboration transformed ordinary spaces into places of hope.
The Day of Wholeness event was not only a testament to community healing, but also showcased the mission shared by AdventHealth and the Adventist Church. The event aimed to foster wellness in body, mind, and spirit, offering attendees an opportunity to access essential health services, receive guidance from medical professionals, and connect with supportive community members.
The event began with a Sabbath worship service at the Alan Jay Wildstein Performing Arts Center at South Florida State College where Highlands and Hardee County community members, AdventHealth team members from AdventHealth Sebring, Wauchula and Lake Placid, and the following Seventh-day Adventist Churches gathered:
“The high-quality experiences of worship in the morning, from the preaching to the music, to the dramatic personal testimonies of people impacted by Christ through AdventHealth, and the interaction of the huge crowd that came together were fantastic,” said Monte
Robison, head pastor of Avon Park, Florida, Church. “The Day of Wholeness was very much in line with AdventHealth’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. The people serving there were incredible, and it was great to meet and serve the surrounding public!”
Following the worship service filled with music and fellowship, multiple health fairs were organized across various venues, including Sebring Circle Park, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth Wauchula, and Union Church in Avon Park.
These health fairs offered a wide range of free services such as diabetes screenings and education, hypertension screenings (including blood pressure, weight, and BMI checks), skin examinations, pediatric care, women’s health services, and more. Attendees had the chance to consult with doctors, who led informative sessions on different medical conditions, providing insights into disease prevention. These educational sessions provided participants with knowledge about symptoms to watch for and steps they could take to protect their health.
To further support community wellness, hundreds of bags filled with fresh produce were distributed to attendees for free at the health fairs. Additionally, the Union Church site hosted a major food distribution event, partnering with United Way’s End Hunger initiative and Hands for the Homeless. Through the collaboration, nearly 13,000 pounds of nutritious food was distributed, benefiting more than 1,000 individuals and families facing food insecurity in the region. This effort helped ensure that those in need had access to healthy food, reinforcing the commitment to whole person care and community support.
This event served as a proactive response ahead of AdventHealth’s 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), which highlights the health challenges facing the communities AdventHealth serves. According to findings from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, a large portion of residents remain underserved.
In 2023, 23.2% of Highlands County and 27.4% of Hardee County adults ages 19–64 lacked health insurance coverage. The assessment also revealed that 64.8% of Highlands County and 71.9% of Hardee County residents live in areas with limited access to healthy food. These statistics underscore the importance of events like the Day of Wholeness, which directly address gaps in health care and food access for community members.
Jason Dunkel, president and CEO of AdventHealth Sebring, Wauchula, and Lake Placid, reflected on the significance of the event, stating, “This day beautifully reflects our commitment to extend the healing ministry of Christ in our community.
“By collaborating with local churches and volunteers, we delivered essential health care at no cost, while also fostering hope, compassion and community connection. We’re deeply grateful to serve the Highlands and Hardee County communities, and honored to provide whole-person care to the people who make this region so special.”
Looking ahead, AdventHealth Sebring, Wauchula, and Lake Placid are committed to making the Day of Wholeness an annual tradition, continuing to partner with local churches and community organizations to deliver health services and promote wellness. To learn more about the health care services AdventHealth offers in the Highlands and Hardee County areas, visit AdventHealth.com/Hospital/AdventHealth-Sebring.
AdventHealth | December 2025
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