The second annual Family Health and Fitness Expo, Saturday, provides fun and education for parents and children.
“Susan Barnes and I started it last year just to bring a health lifestyle to our community,” said Dawn McLennan, Clarkston PTA Health and Wellness Co-Coordinator.
It also helps families find resources in their community to help them find what they need to live a healthy lifestyle, McLellan said.
The expo includes cooking demonstrations, sports demonstrations and injury prevention.
The focus remains the same this year with the addition of more health screenings.
“People may not have the resources or have lost their jobs,” said McLennan. “Having free health screenings help them and brings the resources to them – that was the main focus for this year.”
Screenings and testings include bone density, glucose and cholesterol from POH Medical Center; blood pressure and BMIs from Clarkston Medical Group; and vision screenings from Oakland EyeCare and Clarkston Area Lions Club.
“We have a lot of great things coming,” said McLennan.
Among them are fun activities to help children get moving including Stars & Stripes Gymnastics Academy is bringing their activity center, Michigan Orthopedics is sponsoring an inflatable obstacle course and Tiny Tots is having golf demonstration.
Free Masons from Clarkston Cedar Lodge #60 will also be there and will provide a child identification kid.
“It will include not only the fingerprinting but DNA, voice recognition and video of your child,” said McLennan. “It is really great and free.”
For kids safety, POH is offering car seats by appointment at Independence Township Fire Department, off Citation Drive. For an appointment, please call 248-338-5460.
To get families ready for outside activities bicycle helmets will be fitted. They are also available for purchase. Usually sold for $30-40, they are available for the low cost of $5 for infants and $10 for children.
The expo also features three keynote speakers, Dan Houston, Ken Krygel and Jay Zammit.
Houston is a certified wellness coach and also the fitness director of the mentoring program for youth assistance for Oakland County. He will discuss childhood obesity, exercise and nutrition.
Krygel, a drug recognition expert from Macomb Community College, will present information on teen drug abuse including how teens use drugs and how parents can recognize the signs.
Zammit will discuss goal setting and lifestyle changes. He is a grandfather and has lost over 80 pounds through Ironman training.
“They are great resources for people,” said McLennan.
Raffle tickets are given at the door for a chance to win prizes throughout the event. Some prizes included are from Pine Knob Ski Resort and Orchard Lake Country Club.
“I hope everyone can come out and take advantage of the resources we are bringing,” said McLennan. “It will be fun for the entire family.”
It is free and is 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Feb. 5 at the Clarkston Community Education building, 6558 Waldon Road.
The event is hosted by Clarkston Community Schools PTA Council, Clarkston Community Schools and Independence Township Parks and Rec.
Sponsors include Oakland Eye Care, McLaren Health Center, Clarkston Medical Group, POH Hospital, Michigan Center of Orthopedic Surgery and Slow Foods of Detroit.
For more information, visit www.clarkstonpta.org