On Sunday, Oct. 18, the Tucson Jewish Community Center and Tucson Medical Center (TMC) present the second annual Family Wellness Festival. This free, interactive event will engage families of all ages and backgrounds from noon to 4 pm at the Tucson J.
The Family Wellness Festival was created to help educate our community on the importance of wellness and connect them with local agencies that support healthy lifestyle choices. Families will experience interactive activities throughout the Tucson J. Organizers hope attendees leave empowered with a new skill or knowledge to apply toward making healthier choices in their daily lives.
TMC Director of Wellness Mary Atkinson says, “TMC is proud to be working with the Tucson J on so many programs and events that focus on improving the health and wellness of our community. The Family Wellness Expo is a perfect example of how our two organizations are working together to promote the concepts of wellness to families in fun and engaging ways. By demonstrating how choosing healthy lifestyles can be easy and fun for the whole family, we believe we will have a positive impact on their health outcomes.”
This year’s event has evolved to incorporate a more festive atmosphere with features including international and local speakers, experts on health and wellness, authors, food exhibitors, native seed swap, child safety and more.
Author, kickboxing champion and international endurance athlete Leah Goldstein will be the festival’s keynote speaker. Leah will share the story of her achievements, tragedies and triumphs, and the lessons she has learned along the way. She will also offer a women’s bike clinic on Sunday morning. Other guest speakers will be on hand.
The heightened festive atmosphere will include large pavilions set up throughout The J, each one hosting a theme such as safety, physical activity, food, literacy, health and wellness. All exhibitors in each pavilion will offer interactive activities to give families the knowledge or skill to make better lifestyle choices.
One of the new features offered this year is literacy. As a critical foundation for lifelong self-discovery, literacy is a competency individuals require to make healthier lifestyle choices. The Festival of Books and the Arizona Daily Star have joined the festival this year as a featured sponsor of the Literacy Pavilion. The pavilion will include authors, performances by Stories that Soar and Curious George from “PBS Kids,” and exhibitor booths from various local literacy agencies, including Literacy Connects.
Tucson J Health and Wellness Director Susan Frank says, “As we enter the final stages of planning for the 2015 event, we are excited about the new elements we are adding to build on our success in 2014. The Tucson J is a premier destination for wellness, and it is the perfect setting to invite the public to enjoy an afternoon of education, fun and exposure to new ideas about how we can all live happier, healthier lives.”
tucsonjcc.org/sports/family-wellness-expo
