By Heidi Robitaille
Northern Michigan University will offer a free health and wellness fair for all NMU students, employees and retirees.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 in the Great Lakes Rooms in the University Center.
“This is an event that brings together faculty, staff and students on truly common ground: their wellness,” Barb Coleman said, Wildcat Wellness Health Fair coordinator. “Four hundred to 500 people from the campus community attend the fair each year.”
The 2012 Wildcat Wellness Fair is sponsored by the Health Promotions Society, an organization devoted to health and wellness promotion around campus and the surrounding community.
“The health fair consists of booths set up from NMU departments, organizations and Marquette area health service providers,” said Stephanie Stockel, Health Promotion Society President.
“At these booths attendees will have the opportunity to take health related screenings, gather resources and gain valuable health information.”
There will be screenings and additional items at the event. Screenings for blood typing, blood pressure, blood sugar, hearing, body fat, waist to hip ratio and oxygen saturation will be available to all those partaking in the health fair.
Non-profit health promoting agencies from the community will present displays and hold health screenings. Interaction with wellness professionals will also be available.
“There will be major emphasis on the EAT/SLEEP/PLAY message that has been appearing around campus lately, [which means] encouraging eating breakfast/getting adequate sleep/being active,” Coleman said.
Additional resources on substance abuse, sexual health, sexually transmitted infection prevention.
Along with information on healthy eating, tobacco cessation, personal safety, dating violence, breast health and spiritual health will be accessible for all participants.
“The Health Fair is a great way for Northern Michigan students and faculty to become more aware of the health related resources on campus and in the greater Marquette area,” Stockel said.
Several local businesses have donated prizes for the fair. The event is free and numerous resources are available at fair-goers’ disposal to promote health and wellness.
“There is a lively atmosphere with free food, a lot of free stuff and cool prizes,” Coleman said. “The Pet Partners therapy dogs are a fair-goer favorite.”
Healthy food samples, refreshments, take-home items and a variety of health related topics will be on hand.
While New Year’s resolutions abound, the Health Wellness Fair is a way to join in health promotion and care for the wellness of one’s body.
Advertising for the fair was not done off campus, but any adult may attend.
One screening that is accessible for participants is the waist to hip ratio. “Waist to hip ratio indicates risk of developing cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes et al,” Coleman said.
To prevent health problems and learn about health risks, join in the Wellness Health Fair.
