Annual health fair to promote healthy, active campus

For students who want the opportunity for free massages, henna tattoos, hair styling and more, the annual Health Fair is just around the corner.

  The event is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday in the University Center Ballroom.

  “Students should expect an interactive event that is targeted toward them,” Student Health Services intern Hannah Miller said in an e-mail interview. “Booths range from topics covering alcohol, tobacco, stress, posture, dental, nutrition, etcetera ... Basically anything that is related to the health of a college student we tried to get at least one booth there to cover it.”

  Besides booths, there will be competitions students can compete in throughout the course of the day. There will be push-up and wall sit competitions and “River Falls Fear Factor.”

  “My own personal goal as the coordinator is to have it as fun and interactive as possible, and to show the students that being healthy isn’t just about exercising and eating right, it is much more about being well balanced in all aspects of life.”

Alice Reilly-Myklebust, director of Student Health and Counseling, said that this event has been going on for several years and that each year, a binder is made so that it can be used for reference for planning future events.

  “We’ve been really letting the interns do a lot of it,” Reilly-Myklebust said. “It’s really a joint effort between a lot of different people.”

  A number of other members of the health and human performance department help organize and run booths throughout the day. Also, the community members who come in to do free up-dos and screenings are a big part of the day’s success.

  Miller said that most of the booths at the fair are free, but students should feel free to bring a couple extra dollars in case there is something that has a small cost.

  Miller is working to advertise on campus and make students who have not attended the fair before want to come.

  “I’ve seen posters around campus and seen it listed on the events section of the school Web site,” senior Alicia Braker said. “It makes me want to go. I’ve always wanted to go, but have always had class conflicts.”

  Braker is planning on getting a free massage and learning about “all the information they have to offer,” she said.

  Miller said she hopes students are able to take a lot out of the Health Fair.

  “The importance of the Health Fair is to encourage students to become more aware of their own personal health status, gain knowledge and awareness of a variety of health-related issues, and collect information on different issues and the services available to them,” Miller said. “We live in such a fast-paced world that many people don’t take the time to stop and realize all of the different health issues that could potentially lead to future problems, and the Health Fair is a perfect opportunity for students to get away from classes and their jobs and just take time out for themselves to relax and have fun in an educational way.”

    Students are reminded that the event is designed specifically for them.

  “It is not just another event being held on this campus; ... it is for them [students] and was planned out with them in mind,” Miller said. “It actually is a fun event and is so much more than just some boring health stuff.”