The 15th annual Wellness Fair was held at the Recreation and Wellness Center Feb. 5. The theme, ‘I am Wellness’ called for everyone to own their wellness and design it to fit their lifestyles and daily activities.
The Wellness Fair was informative and exhilarating. It was attended by 52 community vendors, 87 campus vendors and about 1,300 guests.
As usual, the activities at the Wellness Fair were divided into the seven zones of wellness: physical, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, emotional, social and occupational zones.
The Physical Zone featured many activities to encourage healthy lifestyle behaviors by providing ideas on how to be physically active every day and how to eat right. Some of these activities include the Human Performance Lab, e-fitness and cooking demonstrations by vendors including Chef Lisa Rose from VeganCheers. There was also a Tobacco-Free flash mob to educate guests on the dangers of tobacco.
The Spiritual Zone provided ways to establish peace and harmony in our lives. There was room for guided meditation. A labyrinth that is an ancient symbol with a clear part in and out and helps to draw people into meditation was featured in this zone.
The Intellectual Zone offered many exciting activities to help open our minds to new ideas and experiences. Some of these activities include virtual reality and a 3-D printer by GUBotDev. The Erie Zoo was also present with animals, including a skunk and box turtle for guests to observe.
Sara Nesbitt, the program coordinator for the Center for Social Concerns and the vendor who provided the labyrinth for the Spiritual Wellness Zone, has been attending the Wellness Fair since 2016.
Nesbitt said her favorite zones at the fair are the Emotional Zone because it reminds us of how our emotional health affects other areas of our lives and the Environmental Zone because it helps us recognize how we are connected to the Earth.
The Emotional Zone had various attractions like stress balls, therapy dogs and aromatherapy, among others. The zone featured vendors including Blended Spirits Ranch and GU LGBTQ to help guests understand themselves and cope with challenges.
The Environmental Zone featured vendors from Asbury Woods, Conscious Food Project and the GU Environmental Club. The zone offered an obstacle course and ideas on how to recycle used items. Nesbitt added that she appreciates the fact that Gannon cares about people as a whole and not just a particular aspect of wellness.
The Occupational Zone displayed different methods to discover balance and fulfillment in our roles as students and employees.
Some of the attractions include a Top 10 Way to Fortify Your Wellness at GU, Coffee,
Conversations & Connections — an opportunity for students to meet with a professional
in their field.
The Social Zone was filled with many campus organizations and clubs. There was a Gannon-inspired photo booth and provision of henna tattoos for interested guests. Also, there were live performances by AMP Soul and the Gannon University Pep Band.

Food was provided at the event. Guests enjoyed an oatmeal bar for breakfast, chili and wraps for lunch and pasta for dinner.

The Wellness Fair brought together both the Gannon and Erie communities. It was the place to be on Tuesday to have fun, socialize and network with local vendors.

Cathedral Prep High School English and Journalism teacher Matt Hubert has attended the Wellness Fair over four times. He likes the way the fair was laid out and his kids were very excited to try out new things at the Fair. Hubert also liked the food and he spent time socializing with other guests at the Fair.

The Director of Campus Ministry, Brent Heckman, has attended the Wellness Fair 11 times. Heckman likes how the Wellness Fair makes people pay attention to them.

“This is a very good event, it brings people together. This year, there are more children at the fair than ever before. Word about the Fair is getting out to more families in the community,” Heckman said. “I think it is also great that more student and campus organizations are participating in the Wellness Fair. It didn’t used to be so years ago.”

The biggest University Wellness event of the year is over, but we will continue to update you on how to stay motivated on your wellness journey throughout the year.

Oluwapelumi Osunrayi
[email protected]