The Rocket

Issue date: 10/21/05 Section: News

Media Credit: HEATHER KOZUCHOWSKY/THE ROCKET Jason Aikens launches a ping-pong ball while his opponent Bob Mercer awaits his turn during a game of Water Pong. The game was part of the "Hydration Station," a booth set up to inform students and the community about the importance of keeping hydrated. The "Hydration Station" and other booths were part of HealthFest which took place at Aebersold Student Recreation Center on Tuesday.

Slippery Rock University held its 20th annual HealthFest Tuesday at the Robert N. Aebersold Student Recreation Center from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

HealthFest was designed to provide the latest information on a variety of human health issues, offer a number of free screenings and give opportunities for people to learn about exercise, health issues and disease prevention.

"HealthFest is an intergenerational event that aims at bringing together the university community: students, faculty, staff, and younger and older adults from communities in the tri-county area who are seeking professionals in health and wellness, free exhibits and screenings and multimedia presentations," said Brian Mortimer, coordinator of the Wellness Center and the Russell Wright Fitness Center.

The purpose of the event is to involve student groups and organizations from SRU and the tri-county area to come and educate people about their groups and share information about a health or wellness topic.

"We try to gear the event to students, but also to anyone in the community," Mortimer said.

Mortimer said he has been coordinating the event since 1999 when he came to SRU.

Some of the SRU organizations that attended Healthfest were the Women's Center, the Counseling Center, the Athletic Training Association, the Exercise and Rehabilitative Science Department and the Pennsylvania Public Health Association Collegiate Chapter (PPHACC).

Each organization offered information on a different health topic.

"The PPHACC did an interesting presentation on the appropriate way to wash your hands," Mortimer said.

Continued...

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