Free Health Screenings & 5K Highligth Wellness Week At The U

University of Utah students, faculty, staff and the greater community can learn more about health and wellness during the U’s Wellness Week, Oct. 29 through November 3 on the U of U campus.

“The goal of Wellness Week is to provide the University community with the knowledge and skills to promote optimal health and well-being through balanced social, intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical wellness,” says Rachel Crane, health educator with the U’s Office of Health Promotion.

The 17thannual Wellness Fair will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Olpin Union Ballroom. Traditionally a highlight of the week, the fair offers numerous giveaways and free health screenings. Last year more than 3,000 people attended the mid-week event.

The Wellness Fair hosts more than 100 participating groups, providing fair-goers with information that covers emotional, physical and spiritual health. Salt Lake Valley Health Department, Utah Poison Control, Planned Parenthood and the Intermountain Harm Reduction Project are a few of the diverse groups that will participate in the fair.

In addition, First Unitarian Church and LDSSA will be present, as well as the Campus Recreation Center, Alternative Spring Break, Center for Disability Services, the International Center, University Counseling Center, the Women’s Resource Center, Career Services, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGTB) Resource Center and Student Health Center.

Friends for Sight will provide free glaucoma and visual acuity testing. The Student Health Center and the College of Nursing will offer flu shots to fair-goers and Conger and Green Chiropractic Group will be available for free orthopedic screenings. The U’s Counseling Center will provide free screenings for depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder. Attendees can enjoy relaxing music and food provided by Chartwell’s.

The Wellness 5K, “Run Like Health,” will take place Nov. 3 at 10 a.m. on the east side of the Marriot Library Plaza. A one-mile-walking course is also available. Registration is $15 in advance and $20 the day of the race. T-shirts and water bottles are provided to each participant. All proceeds go to the Alternative Spring Break program to fund service-oriented spring break trips and to the Student Health Advisory Committee, a student group focused on increasing health awareness at the U.

All Wellness Week activities are free and open to the public.