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Health fair gives families prescription for staying fit
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EXPERTISE: Chiropractor Dr. Amy Dahl of Austintown gives Rachael Whitney, 10, of Girard, a lesson on the human spine during the Family Fit Fair at Austintown Fitch High School
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JUST IN CASE: Volunteer Chrissy Toth measures Novley Gasior, 6, of Youngstown, for an ID card her mother will carry in case of emergency. The cards help with investigations when children are reported missing, Toth said.
By SHELBY SCHROEDER
Guests could learn about everything from bone density to blood pressure.
AUSTINTOWN — From the parking lot at Fitch High School, guests were welcomed by tai chi enthusiasts and a van equipped to check their vitals.
Inside the school gymnasium on Sunday, families took part in games that tested their strength, hand-eye coordination and knowledge about their own health.
It was part of the first Family Fit Fair for area residents interested in staying in shape, even as bathing suit season draws to an end.
Natalie Finamore organized the event to spread the word of “working together as a family to be healthy and fit [and] to let the community know what services are out there.”
Vendors talked to guests about everything from bone density to eyesight, drug prevention and cancer.
Nurses checked blood pressure and other signs of fitness outside in the WorkMED van, which they jokingly referred to as “heals on wheels.”
Leanne Minotti, a registered nurse with Forum Health, said the vehicle was a kind of “mobile ER.” She and other nurses inside the van offered a “good start for someone health conscious,” she said.
The Forum Health Foundation sponsored the cost-free fair with the help of more than 20 local organizations and 50 community volunteers.
Raffles, games and other attractions raised money for health programming at the schools.
Of those, a rugged obstacle course of inflated vinyl, called the Adrenaline Rush, drew two lines of small children. There they could race, crawl, climb and tumble under supervision and with their explorative curiosity.
Jenna Fowler, 5, of Austintown rolled around on the course, which peaked several feet in the air, above her nearby mother.
“I wanted to stay at the top,” said Jenna, motioning to the highest point of the slide. “You can’t get hurt there because it’s full of air.”
Jenna’s mother, Jennifer Fowler, said she decided to bring her daughter to the fitness fair for two reasons.
“She’s surrounded by ways to stay inside and be lazy, so this is one way to get her to exercise,” Fowler said.
“It’s also the type of weather that makes you want to come outside and play.”
The event also promoted the Austintown Fitness Center and its year-round exercise classes. On the high school campus, the fitness center offers an array of workout equipment and training space.
Staff member Norma Caroline gave open-house tours of the center, which opened in 1999 for area residents who can pay an annual fee to work out there.
Later at the fair, students participating in fall sports were recognized for their contributions to school spirit.
Finamore estimated that more than 400 guests would visit the fair by day’s end. The fair is expected to become an annual event.
Matt Krause, 8, of Austintown had the right idea.
“You have to exercise because it’s fun!”
sschroeder@vindy.com