The UTM Student Health and Counseling Services hosted a Health and Wellness fair for the UTM Community today.
The Student Health and Counseling Services planned the Health and Wellness Fair in order to promote awareness of health care services provided in the Martin area, advocate healthy lifestyle choices for everyday living, and provide free healthcare screenings. Health care businesses from around the community, as well as UTMstudent organizations, all participated by setting up booths in the Boling University Center Ballroom highlighting their services, products, or philanthropies.
Organizations from the community included The Sideline, Baptist Memorial Hospital of Union City, Moore Dental Clinic, Martin Specialty Clinic, Van’s Pharmacy, The American Cancer Society, Regions Bank, West Tennessee Hearing and Speech
Clinic, Jackson Madison County Regional Health Department and the Volunteer Community Hospital. UTM student organizations included the S.H.A.P.E. club, the Vet Science club, Alpha Omicron Pi, the Relay for Life committee, Phi Chi Theta Business Fraternity and P.S.E.P.P.
Other groups present were: the Student Rec Center, who led participants in short sessions of workout classes offered throughout the week; the Student Nurses Association, who provided diabetes testing and other healthcare screenings; and Scott Pun’s Health Education and Promotion class, who were crucial in helping plan and supervise the Health and Wellness Fair.
Scott Pun’s class also had two booths set up at the fair, one of which being information about eating disorders, and the other a simulation designed to persuade users to not text and drive.
A huge factor in the success of the health fair was the number of students who volunteered to help. Whether they were directing other students where to go, helping set up booths, or working the sign-in table, the volunteers showed the true spirit of UTM students.
Blaine Shamp, a student enrolled in Scott Pun’s class, said, “I really enjoyed being involved in the Health and Wellness Fair. I was on the marketing team, and it gave me great experience in health promotion programs. Although it started out as just an assignment for class, by the time it arrived, I was fully invested in the goals and ideas that are the foundation of the Health fair.”
She said that this is the first year that UTM has had a health fair in a long time, and she hopes it continues on to be a tradition.
