Mahwah Residents Help Make 'NJ Women's Good Living Festival' A Success

The heat broke just in time for the First Annual Women's Good Living Festival and 5K Run/3K Walk on Saturday. Over 300 participants celebrated women's health by indulging themselves in yoga by Kula for Karma, massage, manicures, and much more after completing the circuit.

Held on the grounds of Bergen Community College, the event was free and included live music on the festival stage, featuring Mahwah's own Jackie Madden, singing her current Dance Club/Play Chart hit “Falling”.

Two-time Emmy winning actress Martha Byrne, also a Mahwah resident, presented a talented group of singers from ShowBiz Bootcamp, her talent academy. A current board member at St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Byrne said, "It is so important to celebrate women's health, and not to take our health for granted. Healthy women raise healthy families, which create healthy communities."

The event was organized by Mahwah resident Ed Burns of Point Media, and sponsored by the Chambers of Commerce of Mahwah, Paramus, and the Meadowlands. Also involved were several grass-roots community and non-profit organizations such as Shelter Our Sisters, City Green, Guilda's Club of Northern New Jersey, and Habitat for Humanity.

Comedienne and actress Katy Hayes provided raucous introductions, as Sal Lauretta for Men featured a pre-Father's Day fashion show for event-goers. Katy is a recent finalist in the Gilda's Club Laugh-Off.

There were lots of fun activities for kids such as face-painting, and pottery making. One popular workshop was the Hula Hoop workout given by HNH Fitness. Kids of all ages were up and hula-ing to the music on the spacious lawn. Nine-year-old Catherine Burns of Mahwah rocked the hula hoop even with a sprained ankle!

The afternoon wound down with mother-daughter awards given for winners of the race, and gift items raffled off by participating local businesses. A portion of the walk's proceeds went to Bergen Community College scholarships.