Wellness Fair promotes unique fitness routine
By Charity Parker, May 2009
Assoc. Features Editor
Is wellness a measure of strength, a measure of health or a measure of the mind? Wellness is all encompassing. Student Life in association with the Fitness Center brought this idea to the forefront of students' minds at the PVCC Wellness Fair on April 8.
Through 15-minute demonstrations, the Wellness Fair strove not only to make students aware of the multifaceted programs available at PVCC's Fitness Center but also to get students involved in creating their own total wellness package. With over 50 vendors, "10 more than last year," stated Beverly Brewer Karpinski, fitness tech and wellness intern, the event offered students an opportunity to educate themselves on total wellness.
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Photo by Charity Parker
Jasmine Ryan demonstrates belly dancing for fitness at the PVCC Wellness Fair.
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The Wellness Fair is an annual event that has been taking place for nearly 18 years. While PVCC usually hires a wellness intern from ASU to co-host the event, budget cuts would not allow for it this year. It was then that Karpinski stepped up and took an active role in helping Helice Agria, Student Life and Leadership program specialist, to organize the event.
Karpinski "did all the paperwork" as she puts it, but she was also in charge of organizing the vendors and making sure everyone arrived on time and set up in the correct place.
"I collected the certificates of insurance and the donations for students prizes," said Karpinski
Thanks to Karpinski's work, the 50 different vendors were able to provide information, demonstrations and even massages. One vendor, White August, provided students and faculty with samples of their tea, which Karpinski says is one of her favorite vendors.
The demonstrations included Fitness Center faculty and students demonstrating the different programs available at the center.
The breakout sessions ran from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and served to enforce the theme of "Reaching New Heights of Wellness." The sessions ranged from Mark Francis' demonstration on an exercise ball to Rob Mark's boot camp, which included squat thrusts, core training and a few weight exercises. The sessions also featured dance instructors like Jazmine Ryan, who demonstrated belly dancing, and Bonita Lovett, who performed a hip-hop routine with a student, also one of Karpinski's favorites.
Next year they hope to make things "more lively" with more music and more demonstrations.
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