Second Annual Healthy Harvest Festival- 2004
Written by Jennifer Micija
The Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association has been busy sowing seeds of wellness in our community. The association has been involved in multiple projects implementing our goals of promoting awareness about complementary and alternative health therapies and educating the public about these offerings and the gifted practitioners in our area offering these therapies. The Huntingdon area currently offers over 25 different complementary and alternative therapies, many of which can be used in conjunction with conventional medicine.
Successful projects include The Natural Connection Daily News column, Healthy Holidays for J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital, Stress Busters at the Huntingdon Middle School, and a Relaxation Workshop for the public. We have also honored our local doctors and nurses with healthy snacks and nutritional information to say thanks for all they do.
Our biggest project to date, which has been endorsed by an official Proclamation from Governor Rendell, is budding and ready to bloom- the second annual Healthy Harvest. The event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, October 1st and 2nd and will celebrate the efforts of the Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association to bring attention to the importance of a holistic, healthy community and county.
Our kick-off celebration is Friday night with “A Taste of Health” dinner and “Transform Stress, Learn to Relax” workshop. The event will be held at the Huntingdon Community Center, thanks to the generosity of Ted Aurand. Association members will provide a delicious sampling of a variety of healthy foods including curried lentil soup, organic chicken with feta, roasted root vegetables, salad, spelt bread and our specially blended Healthy Harvest Herbal Tea. Committee members Ann Wishard with Sweet Annie Herbs and Tim Miller with Herbalife, blended and mixed the tea. The menu recipes will be included in our first edition cookbook, “A Taste of Health” featuring recipes from members and friends, compiled and edited by our secretary, Keppy Arnoldsen with Earthen Art and Green Thumb Services. The tea and recipe books will be available for sale at our Friday and Saturday events. The workshop following the meal will feature association members offering relaxation techniques, including guided imagery, herb and supplement information, yoga and more.
The Healthy Harvest Festival will be held in downtown Huntingdon on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thanks to the support from the Huntingdon Borough Council, William Smith Street and Washington Street will be closed to traffic from 2nd to 6th Streets from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Side streets will remain open. Please be watchful for pedestrians.
The goal of the Festival is to educate the public about our complementary and alternative health practitioners and offerings, as well as to highlight businesses, activities, and products in our area that foster wellness. A lovely Tranquility Tent will provide our Association members a place to share wellness offerings with the festival visitors. Members will provide FREE massages, facials, yoga, guided imagery and aromatherapy.
Vendors will set up in the middle of the street to allow storefronts an opportunity to offer special sales on the sidewalk, as well as to allow for a steady flow of festival-goers up and down both sides of the street. A sampling of what you will see includes: handcrafted walking canes, country crafts, bake sales, flea market items, herbal products, environmental cleaning supplies, recycling representatives, home made soaps, pottery, art, environmental education, and food. There will also be horse drawn wagon rides, a bounce house for kids and so much more! Musical entertainers include Beggar’s Ryde and the Grey Shed.
Sandi Boyd, Association member and Practice Representative with the dental office of Dr. Jeffrey Hartman, will offer two free workshops at at 524 Washington Street.;
one on mercury toxicity and its effects from 11AM to noon and another from noon to 1 PM on using individual metabolic type to choose a diet that will propel you to better health.
We are delighted that Mayor Foster Ulrich and Legislator Larry Sather will be present for our opening ceremonies. Proceeds will benefit the Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association and the J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital Pediatric Department.
We hope that Healthy Harvest will bring attention to the importance of working together to highlight the many talents and assets we have in Huntingdon County. The event is supported in part by a local government grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Huntingdon County local governments, and the Huntingdon County Arts Council, as well as by a grant from the Altoona Branch of Sam’s Club. We would like to thank everyone involved for your help in putting this event together and for your desire to serve our county.
Join us for our second annual Healthy Harvest Celebration and savor the sweetness of this cornucopia of offerings.
Contact Event Coordinators, Annie Wishard at 814-643-4802 or Jennifer Micija
814-667-2097 for more information.
The Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association makes no medical claims or recommendations. Check with your doctor about your specific health care needs.