OXFORD ­– Oxford Academy’s health committee hosts its annual health and wellness fair Friday, in the high school auditorium from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The health fair has diversified and grown greatly over the past decade since its inception.
“The health and wellness fair has offered a diverse and ever-growing group of vendors and presenters over the years, and this year is no exception,” said chairman of the health committee at Oxford Academy, teacher Lance Thorne. “I have been getting a lot of emails from people excited about all the new things that we are going to be having this year.”
Some of the new vendors participating include the Bullthistle Hikers Club, Mayhood’s Sporting Goods, the Oxford Fire Department Explorers Program, Boy Scouts of America, Bear Archery, Indian Brook Fly’s, the Oxford Rod and Gun Club, the Girl Scouts of America and the Oxford Youth Sports Program.
For the first time ever, organizers will be opening the fair to the public after witnessing the success of the academy’s recently-held school fair. The vendors and presenters are all geared to specific age groups, including a special attention paid to the attending members from the public.
“In my four years organizing the event, we have shifted away from just having presenters such as dentists and strictly health-oriented vendors,” said Thorne. The goal of the fair has evolved beyond simply educating students about health to getting them excited about being involved in healthy and productive activities outside of school, said Thorne. “We want to show them what is available outside of these walls.”
Students from Pre-K to 12th grade will get a chance to learn about heath and wellness topics varying from tobacco education, drug use, dental hygiene, CPR and First Aid. But they will also be exposed to all sorts of youth programs available to them in the community, such as archery and sports programs.
Attendees will also be able to sample a variety of health food choices and have a chance at winning door prizes.