Becoming healthy or maintaining wellness can be a rewarding experience that leads to discovering a wealth of diverse services.
By combining a variety of traditional and holistic products and services under one roof, Just for the Health of It Health and Wellness Fair will showcase the diversity of health services available throughout the community. Organizers have combined the right ingredients for residents to improve or maintain overall health and wellness.
Hosted by City of Powell River’s Parks, Recreation and Culture department, the fair takes place from 10 am - 4 pm Saturday, September 24, in the upper concourse at Powell River Recreation Complex. Admission is free.
The fair includes 40-plus booths featuring everything from spiritual health and fitness-related activities to smoothie demonstrations. Presentations will cover topics such as nutrition, environmental health, anxiety, exercise and the brain, martial arts, yoga, drumming and tai chi.
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase that Powell River has a lot of programs and services addressing health, whether traditional or holistic,” says City of Powell River Health and Fitness Program Coordinator Christine Parsons. “Our goal is to connect the community.”
Interactive booths hosted by local businesses and professionals will provide information and offer opportunities for discussions on weight loss, dentistry, pharmaceuticals, raw food, child development, midwifery, counselling and healthcare services.
“We are looking at all aspects of health; mind, body and spirit,” says organizing committee member Isabelle Southcott. “There will be a variety of interesting guest speakers to learn from as well as a number of demonstrations going on.”
A panel focusing on nutrition features plant-based registered holistic nutritionist Emma Larocque, holistic nutritionist Kitty Clemens and public health community dietitian Meghan Molnar.
“It covers more than one area; there will be something for everyone,” explains Southcott.
Hearing tests will be available through Connect Hearing and a quiet room dedicated to massage and other healing modalities will also be located onsite.
“We are working to improve health and wellness within our community,” says Parsons. “Through a variety of new and exciting programs we are providing more opportunities for people to learn how they can improve in these areas.”
Visitors to the fair will also have the opportunity to take the PR Wellness Challenge, which measures progress in flexibility, heart rate, balance and blood pressure over a period of six to eight months.
Residents who completed the wellness challenge earlier this year can take the test again and compare the results. First-timers will be invited to begin the process and encouraged to make positive lifestyle changes before taking the test a second time.
According to Parsons, the committee’s goal is to help build a healthy and active community through collaboration.
“It doesn’t just take one person to accomplish that goal,” says Parsons. “It requires collaborating, connecting and working with all sorts of people.”
A Fruits & Roots Juice Bar pop-up cafe will be at the event with snacks and beverages available for visitors.
There will also be draws and giveaways at some of the booths, says Southcott.
“This is the first year,” adds Parsons, “and we plan to make it an annual event.”
Major sponsors for the fair include Powell River Living magazine and Canada Safeway. Additional sponsors include Save-On-Foods, School District 47, Blue Lotus Wholistic Healing, Vancouver Coastal Health, Nourish Yoga and Wellness Studio, T-Fit Training Centre, Plant-based RHN, First Credit Union, Shaun Gloslee Excavating and Powell River Division of Family Practice.
For more information, call 604.485.8903, email [email protected] or search for Powell River Rec. Complex on Facebook and click on the page’s events.
