Health in the Park Fair open to all ages

Event encourages mental, physical health awareness

Art+by+Maggie+Klaers

Art by Maggie Klaers

Ben Sanford

According to the wellness and volunteer coordinator for St. Louis Park Laura Smith, the upcoming Health in the Park Fair Feb. 22 is an event for everybody and aims to bring the SLP community together to learn more about their well being.

“The Health in the Park Fair is an event for all community members of all ages to come and learn about health and well-being resources and topics that are within our community,” Smith said. “We have a variety of organizations attending and we also have free classes related to physical well being.”

Junior Emma Heinzen said that she thinks the Health in the Park Fair can be a great opportunity to educate students and adults on their wellbeing

“It brings awareness to everyone in the community and it’s also just a good place for people to go get informed and to get involved if they know they want to,” Heinzen said.

Smith said she hopes the event will bring awareness to mental and physical health.

“The goal of the event is to educate community members on a variety of health topics, encouraging them to spend some time for their physical and mental health and then help them learn about local resources to improve their health,” Smith said.

We have a lot of resources and sometimes people don’t know about them. So if they can come and learn about all the resources there are, they might learn different educational ways to improve their mental or physical well being.

— Laura Smith

According to Garrett Baudhuin Health in the Park might offer things that Park can’t.

“Our school doesn’t really have the money to get a bunch of teachers to teach mental health classes and stuff so this is a good way for people to get information,” Baudhuin said.

Smith said she encourages everyone to go to Health in the Park because there are many useful skills that can be learned.

“We have a lot of resources and sometimes people don’t know about them. So if they can come and learn about all the resources there are, they might learn different educational ways to improve their mental or physical well being,” Smith said. “I think starting young on those types of topics can set you up for a lifetime of improved health.”

According to Heinzen a lot of people that struggle with their mental and physical health, and she thinks Health in the Park might be a good step forward in getting help.

“A lot of people that I know just in my friend group struggle with mental health and aspects of physical health and I know a lot of people in the student body do as well so I think it’s a really good thing for people in the school to be informed about,” Heinzen said.

Baudhuin said reaching out to friends or adults in your life can help you deal with your health better.

“I think sometimes it is kind of hard, but if you need help with something just tell people. If you keep it to yourself and try to deal with it by yourself then it’s not really going to work,” Baudhuin said. “Knowing that other people can help you and you don’t just need to help yourself.”

According to Heinzen, there are simple steps you can take that can be done that might help improve your day to life.

“With physical just definitely figuring out workouts or eating habits that work right for them and make you feel good about yourself,” Heinzen said. “For mental health just being able to manage your stress and spending your time wisely, not procrastinating, and just focus on what makes you happy in the moment.”

The Health in the Park Fair is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 22 at St. Louis Park Middle School. The event is free to children and adults of all ages to attend and participate in.