Wellness Fair will educate community

As if Oberlin students didn't have enough tests, the Wellness Fair is offering a few more this weekend.

Students can be tested for diabetes, depression and other assorted diseases Saturday.

The fair, which runs fron 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. in Carnegie Root Room, will offer a number of booths for students, community members and children to learn more about health and wellness.

Fair organizer junior Brian Donaghue said, "We're stressing the idea that prevention is an easier way to keep people healthy and that's what this fair is centered on."

Donoghue said he started planning for the fair in October, after he heard many students say they wanted CPR training.

"We hope we will have 100 to 200 people to go to the booths or at least look at the material," Donoghue said.

The different booths will be run by students and community members. Those run by student organizations will include Sexual Information Center (SIC), Sexual Assault Support Team (SAST) and the HIV counselors.

Student Health will be there with information on how to quit smoking, as will Campus Nutritionist Rebecca Berman and Volleyball Coach Susan Garland.

"We want to teach other people about preventative health," said Donaghue. "We also wanted to use some of the resources we have on this campus."

Such resources include student Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), who will provide several of the different screenings offered at the fair. Included among them are screening for diabetes and cholesterol, as well as blood pressure tests.

In addititon to members of the College, several Oberlin residents will be on hand with various information.

Community resident Laura Flood, who helped plan the fair, will be in charge of the children's area. School psychologist L.D. Moore will have a booth that focuses on massage therapy. Midwife Pat Serio will teach women about breast self-exams and other women's issues.

Barb Mehwald, health resource coordinator, facilitated the student organizers. She invited people to work at the fair and made connections with the community. "I'm pleased that this is student run. We want to get this launched and off the ground," she said.

There will be a blood bank from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and CPR training from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Donaghue was able to get Bayer Pharmaceuticals as a sponsor and said they have provided much of the needed supplies for some of the screenings.

Mehwald said she is excited about the fair. "We want to do the best we can and have something we can continue on and grow," she said.