In North Caldwell: Community Health Fair Features Yoga and Fruit Shakes

Never underestimate the power of face-to-face contact.

On April 2, West Essex High School in North Caldwell hosted a Community Health Fair featuring student demonstrations, yoga classes and fruit shakes.

The event was organized by the West Essex High School Science and Physical Education departments and the West Essex PTO, in an effort to teach the public about the importance of exercise and maintaining a healthy diet.

During the event, a variety of health related businesses and sponsors sat at informational tables to educate attendees about everything from nutrition to exercise and dealing with stress.

• Tara Ann DelRusso of Cycle Barre in Little Falls conducted a yoga class in the middle of the gymnasium where more than 30 students tried different stretches and yoga moves.
• Essex Fells senior Meredith James of Essex Fells made healthy shakes with fresh fruit and yogurt and peanut butter, which she gave to a long line of students and adults at the fair.
• Senior Matthew Campanella of Essex Fells talked to other students about the dangers of smoking and asked them each to take a breathing test.
• Senior Ali Karacay of Fairfield did a presentation about blood types and talked to students about different ways to check what type of blood that they have.
• Representatives from Absolute Health & Wellness Center in Fairfield gave students massages to help relieve stress and spoke about the different services they offer.

Event sponsors and participants included St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Get Fit Health and Fitness Center, 360 Fitness Performances and Sports, the Chiropractic Source, Comfort Keepers, Exit 153 Crossfit, Absolute Health & Wellness Center, Fairfield Wellness & Physical Therapy, and Holistic Wellness.

WEHS anatomy and physiology honors, honors biology, emergency clinical care and sports medicine students and Caldwell College nursing students participated and made special presentations at the event.

Photo 1: Meredith James, a West Essex High School senior from Essex Fells, makes healthy shakes at a recent health fair held at the school.

Photo 2: WEHS senior Robert Campanella of Essex Fells, right, educates students and the public about the dangers of smoking cigarettes at the fair.

Send Caldwell news tips and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com