The Eastern Michigan University Rec/IM hosted a Wellness Fair Wednesday.
The event was set up by Eric Ward, the Health Education and Wellness Coordinator for EMU, the Wellness Fair was designed around eight health aspects: social, physical, occupational, spiritual, financial, emotional, intellectual and environmental health. These core criteria concerning health brought a vast array of promoters and organizations to the fair, as well as a large number of students.
The fair consisted of booths set up by each organization and a presentation on a different aspect of health and how to better improve your life in it. Kevin Goeckerman is the owner of Natural Body Health and Wellness in Ann Arbor, located next to Briarwood mall. His booth consisted of a free trial on one of his massage beds.
“The bed is designed to use five different modalities; acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic, massage, and inferred heat-therapy,” Goeckerman said. “Clinically proven results with that product (the massage bed) as well lowers blood pressure and prudes our immune system, especially coming into cold and flu season.”
Candice Dorsey, the Crime Prevention Coordinator for the police department, also had a booth set up dedicated to spreading safety information and reminding people about being aware of their surroundings.
“There are a couple of classes I teach on campus… one is a women’s self-defense class that I teach called RAD, Rape Aggression Defense System,” Dorsey said. “The other class I teach on campus is a personal safety class for men and women.” The class is listed as PEGN 130, Assault and Rape Prevention.
Corner Health provides low-budget health care to the Ypsilanti community. Its display showed what the center has to offer the community, like health support information, low-income medical care and sexual services such as birth control and STI testing. The display also showed a fee spread for their services, many provided regardless of income or insurance.
Displays were set up for the promotion of condoms and STI prevention. One particular presentation showed the effects different STIs can have, using pictures of the diseased tissue to send out a strong message.
“We are just showing a lot of the facts and things about STDs,” student Jose Galinato said. “We are showing these pictures right now which is like high impact, eye catching, so that people actually come over here. The pictures that we are showing are like the most prevalent cases of STDs. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis and HPV, which is viral, and the other ones are bacterial and actually Michigan has one of the highest cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea right now so we though it was pertinent to share that message with everyone right now to get treated or to get prevention.”
The EMU Dining Service was also represented at the Wellness Fair. The display was presented by Tom Murray, the Executive Chef for EMU’s Dining Services.
Murray said, “Our table here explains about e-balance and where you can get healthy food on campus. (Where you can find food for) Specialty diets like gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, nut-free.”
Though the Wellness Fair is over, there are many places around campus, like Snow Health Center, where you can inquire generally about promoting your own wellness and find information on events and programs that can help you. Promote your own success by seeking information. You are at a university. Now is the time to take advantage!
