MANSFIELD, Ohio–Healthcare professionals, fitness instructors, life and health coaches, as well as other individuals in the community are joining forces to educate the public on health and wellness.
Plans are in full swing for a “Healthy Living Festival” at the Renaissance Theatre on Tuesday, March 10 from 11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. The event will include free yoga and fitness classes, information booths, free community meals, and multiple showings of the movie, “Fed Up.” The free community lunch and dinner will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis to a maximum of 150 people for each meal.
The purpose of the event is to offer annual programming that fosters constructive conversation around health and wellness in Richland County, according to the event organizers’ mission statement.
Event organizers Linda Snyder, health coach; Annamarie Fernyak, life coach; Michael Miller, president and CEO of the Renaissance Theatre; and Chris Hershberger, founder of NexGen Fitness, agree that this event is meant to raise the level of discourse in the community about overall health and wellness and point people to the valuable resources that are available within the area.
“This is such an amazingly diverse community,” with several resources available at peoples’ fingertips, said Snyder.
Fernyak noted that the purpose of the event extends beyond educating people about what foods to eat. “It’s about community wellness,” she said.
She said they hope to connect people with those who have a good understanding of fitness, nutrition, mindfulness practices, and other wellness practices.
“We just hope to get people thinking about healthy choices,” added Miller. “We don’t expect to change people on the spot, to be born again healthily, but to just raise the awareness.”
They hope to make this an annual event that will expand in the future.
There have been a few planning sessions so far, which have involved over 30 individuals in the community. Those who have participated in the planning sessions include representatives of OhioHealth MedCentral, Richland Public Health, North End Community Improvement Collaborative, Richland County Foundation, Richland Community Development Group, Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, Mansfield YMCA, A Moveable Feast, The Visiting Nurses Association of Ohio, Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, Third Street Family Health Services, Ohio State Extension Office, as well as Ontario Mayor Randy Hutchinson and many small business owners.
“This is a community event,” even in the planning phase, they emphasized. Another meeting will be held March 2. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/bewellrichland/timeline.
