It’s a very busy time of the year for the Gannon University Wellness department. The 15th annual Wellness Fair will take place Tuesday at 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Recreation and Wellness Center.
In the past few years, the Wellness Fair has grown in size, welcoming community and campus partners alike. The Wellness Fair helps guests understand what wellness means to them. This is done through interactive displays, games and other activities.
Erika Ramalho, director of Community and Government Relations, has attended the Wellness Fair, every year since 2014. “The Wellness Fair improves every year. More options and information are provided and it gets more engaging each year,” Ramalho said.
“My favorite zones are the intellectual and spiritual zones because they provide areas of growth and help me as a person by giving additional information that works for me.
“The spiritual zone features ways for me to calm my mind and help me find greater purpose on Earth.”
“The food vendors as well give me ideas on healthy food options. There is something for every person at the Wellness Fair and it is very lively.
Dominic Prianti, Ph.D, an assistant professor of philosophy, attended the last five Wellness Fairs with his family. “I like the Wellness Fair because it is family friendly,” he said.
“My favorite zones are the spiritual and physical zones.
“I like the spiritual zone because of the meditation, and the physical zone because I am able to learn how to stay healthy and fit.”
“My kids like the attention the Wellness staff give them. There is a lot of free food and the experience is different every time.”
Alexis Rodriguez, a junior education major, has attended the Wellness Fair twice. As a freshman, she found the Wellness Fair very exciting because it was new to her. As a sophomore, she felt the Wellness Fair was more engaging. Her favorite zones were the intellectual and physical zone.
Rodriguez also participated as a member of the Activities Programming Board (APB). She was in charge of giving out free items like Frisbees and cups to create more awareness about APB.
This year, she will be giving out items like desk-in-a-box, mason jars and flashlights. “The Wellness Fair is a great place for interaction. There’s also lots of free food, items, games and therapy dogs to pet,” Rodriguez said.
One of the wellness leaders, Sam Desser, shed more light on the Wellness Fair. “The Wellness Fair zones are broken up by our seven zones of wellness: physical, emotional, spiritual, occupational, environmental, intellectual and social,” Desser said. Campus and community vendors are invited to explain their resources to everyone at the fair.
“For example, the Bee Keeper will be attending and he will be in the environmental zone explaining why bees are important to the environment and what you can do to save them,” Desser said. “The participants will be able to walk around at their leisure, exploring vendors they are interested in and learning about the different zones.”
The goal of the Wellness Fair is to empower participants with the knowledge, motivation, and skills to make healthy changes in their lifestyles behaviors. Free breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided. So, mark your calendar and get ready for the Wellness department to take you on an exciting and enlightening journey on Tuesday.
OLUWAPELUMI OSUNRAYI
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