On Feb. 6, Wildwood Middle School hosted the Healthy Family Expo. The event was a collection of local businesses and products that will help people become healthier and live longer. Some of these businesses included American Red Cross, Snap Fitness, American Heart Association, Planet Wellness and Juice Plus.

The event featured fitness workshops that visitors could participate in throughout the event such as Zumba dancing, step dancing, Pilates, and kickboxing.

“I loved boot camp! It was a lot of fun and really good workout,” sophomore Julia Vranas said. Vranas volunteered at the event because she felt it was a good opportunity to help people become healthier.

“I volunteered to spread the awareness of a healthy lifestyle. I think it is important to be healthy and help our community,” Vranas said.

The expo also had educational seminars to teach residents how to approach everyday tasks in a healthier way. The seminars included nutrition, automobile safety and “Seven secrets of raising a healthy family”. St. Clare also featured a mini hospital experience for people to visit.

Multiple interactive stations were featured that guests could enjoy. Massage Envy gave free massages, Smoothie King and Prairie Farms Dairy gave out samples of their products, and for the kids, Fred Bird and Ronald McDonald were there to entertain.

Guests had a very positive reaction the event. Resident Gaile Stewart thinks the event could really help the community.

“If people take it seriously, it [could] really help people become more aware that they need to become healthy,” Stewart said.  

She continued, “I loved the green tea table! My granddaughter liked the Smoothie King one.”

Not only did the visitors feel the importance of the event but the members of the organizations as well.

Arbonne International employee Lisa Auen said they chose to have a table at the expo to educate people on how to take better care of themselves and make better choices.

She also said, “We want to teach people about Arbonne’s healthy wellness products for the family. Being healthy makes you live longer and you are able to live life to the fullest.”

Although being healthy can be a serious topic, Prairie Farms representative Rich Winkler looks at the happy side.

He said, “Being healthy adds to the whole appreciation of life. If you’re not healthy, you don’t have any fun.”