Kyle Martin finishes running the half-mile Kids Fun Run with daughter Macy (foreground) and friend’s daughter Mariah Timmerman during the Madison County Health Fair at Community Sports and Wellness on Saturday.
Scott Slade | The Times-Post
Bobbi Cantrell signs up for a raffle at the Young Living Essential Oils table at the Madison County Health Fair at Community Sports and Wellness on Saturday.
Scott Slade | The Times-Post
Phil and Sandy Hodges watch Hannah Cunningham, a registered respiratory therapist from Community Hospital Anderson, demonstrate how lungs work using an air pump connected to a pair of suspended pig lungs at the Madison County Health Fair at Community Sports and Wellness on Saturday.
Scott Slade | The Times-Post
Beth Scholer with Intune Integrated Nutrition, prepares a shrimp bowl recipe during a Mediterranean Lifestyles cooking class at the Madison County Health Fair at Community Sports and Wellness on Saturday.
Scott Slade | The Times-Post
PENDLETON — Sandy Hodges of Anderson said she and her husband, Phil, like to get out to explore local happenings, and on Saturday the inaugural Madison County Health Fair in Pendleton was a draw.
“We came to see what is was like,” she said, knowing “they’d probably have information booths.”
The event, which took place Friday and Saturday at Community Sports and Wellness, offered a couple of dozen of vendor tables with a variety of goods and services, and much more, including sports and cooking demonstrations, as well as an opportunity to donate blood and a children’s fun run.
Community Hospital Anderson, the main sponsor, had a row of tables highlighting an array of its services. Other booths represented a variety of non-profits, and educational institutions, including Anderson University and Ivy Tech.
Bobbi Cantrell of Markleville came to the fair with her young children Eden and Argyle.
“We’ve just kind of been making our way around,” she said.
While she was filling out a raffle entry for a grab-bag of personal care items at the Young Living Essential Oils table, Eden and Argyle were exploring the scents of various oils.
“That one smells like an orange,” Eden announced.
Cantrell said she was curious about the products.
“I know a lot of people that use them and swear by them,” she said. “My children are obviously interested.”
Tarry Fletcher, 15, who was helping his dad at the non-profit Combat Ministries Community Center booth, found an opportunity to explore a topic related to his current career aspirations.
He said he’s interested in doing something to bring healthy food options to people with limited income.
He attended a Mediterranean Living cooking class led by integrated nutritionist Beth Scholer, where she demonstrated how to prepare a couple of easy-to-make, healthy recipes, including a shrimp bowl and a seed, nut, fruit and yogurt bowl.
Skye Huff, director of marketing and membership at Community Sports and Wellness, said it’s not certain whether the health fair will be an annual event. There will be discussions about that, she said.
“It’d be nice to grow it, for sure.”