Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore hosts the ninth annual Health and Wellness Festival on Wednesday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Student Services Center Ballroom. Over 60 community agencies, businesses and other organizations join university representatives to provide health screenings, demonstrations and informational exhibits.
“The goal of the event is to encourage people to become pro-active about their health,” said Jill Grant, health educator, UMES Health and Wellness Center. “The event will expose community and university attendees to the resources and services available in the Tri-County area.”
According to Grant, the Governor’s Well Mobile, the American Red Cross, Easter Seals of Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the American Lung Association, the Somerset County Health Department, Colleges Against Cancer and many other area organizations will be on hand. Some of the areas covered will be fitness, nutrition, mental illness, dental health, vision, cancer awareness, drug and alcohol awareness, smoking cessation, HIV and birth defects. Screenings include blood pressure, body mass index, osteoporosis and diabetes among others.
The UMES Health and Wellness Center’s efforts are enhanced by many UMES groups. The departments of Physical Therapy, Human Ecology, Physician Assistant and Human Resources are preparing health exhibits for the event. UMES Student Health representatives will perform health screenings. UMES Maryland Cooperative Extension Nutritionist Ingred Holmes will demonstrate healthy cooking. Children from the UMES Child Development Center will also add to the event with a musical performance. Door prizes will be drawn.
“Interactive demonstrations will be held throughout the day,” said Grant. “Festival goers can join exhibitors on stage for yoga, aerobic, kick boxing and cooking demonstrations.”
Healthy U, the university’s Tobacco Resource Center and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Center are sponsors for the free event. For more information about the Health and Wellness Festival, call 410-651-6669.
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Gail Stephens, assistant director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-651-7580, gcstephens@umes.edu.
Suzanne Waters Street, director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-621-2355, sstreet@umes.edu.EktFileStoreMetaData=C:\DOCUME~1\sstreet\LOCALS~1\Temp\image002.jpg#*#UMES Logo#*#1 –>
