28 Mar 2016 Conway Regional Women’s Council plans annual health fair April 8

The 15th annual In Her Honor Women’s Health Fair will offer free health screenings, fitness classes, a child-friendly activity center  and healthy cooking demonstrations from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, April 8, in a casual, relaxed setting at the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center.

The event is sponsored by the Conway Regional Women’s Council. Health fair co-chair Jennie Felling encourages women to bring their families, including children. “This event is designed to provide easy access to the health care screenings and a wide variety of information,” said Felling. “This is a good opportunity for people who are busy or who have not had access to health care in the past.”

The event is free and open to women of all ages who want to learn more about health and fitness.

The Conway Regional Women’s Council is providing an activity center with a number of child-friendly activities for the fair, such as a coloring contest for ages 5 and younger. The winner will receive a tuition-free month at Sonshine Academy.

Felling also noted the importance of getting children involved at any early age in healthy eating. “The Conway Regional registered dietitians can help,” Felling said. “They are planning a healthy cooking demonstration. The kids can learn how to eat right from actual dietitians.”

Dietitians with the Conway Regional Diabetes Self-Management program will prepare healthy quesadillas on the hour and answer questions about nutrition.

Fair goers can also come dressed in their workout clothes and participate in free fitness classes.

All the services are free.

“The Women’s Council is focusing on some important issues not only for women but also for children in our community by bringing awareness to the problem of childhood obesity and women’s health,” said co-chair Pam Sims. “We have a large population of women who do not have access to health care, and that’s what the health fair is focusing on. The health fair gets women into an arena to tap into resources that they may not be aware of.”

Free screenings:

Basic Cholesterol and Glucose                                         

Blood Pressure            

Posture Assessments & Balance Screenings                 

Sun Damage Assessments

Bone Density

Health and Safety Information:                                       

Nutrition and Diabetes Education

Stroke Prevention and Awareness                                    

Chiropractic information

Special activities:

Kids’ corner                                                                 

Healthy cooking demonstration

Assemble your own first aid kit                                    

Fitness classes

Chair massages                                                           

Mental health

Vendors will also provide information about such topics as senior services, stroke education, lactation, diabetes, oncology, therapy services, home health and Conway Regional Emergency Response Systems, hospice, Faulkner County EMS, mammography, bone density and other services.

More than 4,000 people have attended since the event began in 2002. A free continental breakfast, courtesy of Brookdale Senior Living Solutions, will be available for participants after they have completed their screenings.

Women can become eligible for door prizes by visiting at least nine information booths.

The Conway Regional Women’s Council is an advocacy group of the Conway Regional Health Foundation that promotes women’s health education, provides fundraising support and offers volunteer services benefiting Conway Regional Health System. For more information, visit http://www.conwayregional.org/WomensCouncil.

The health and fitness center is located at 700 Salem Road.