Between schoolwork and extracurriculars, students may struggle finding time to focus on their health and may be unaware of the community services geared toward improving physical well-being. However, students and community members have the opportunity to interactively educate themselves about their health Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the “20th Annual Health Fair: Go for the Gold with Good Health.” The fair will be held in the Illini Union in rooms A, B and C, hosted by the registered student organization Special Populations and sponsored by the Student Affairs Program Coordinating Council and McKinley Health Center.   

“Our goal is to promote balanced, healthy lifestyles among the diverse UIUC community and provide health and wellness information for typically underserved populations,” said Maura Steinke, graduate hourly at McKinley Health Center and graduate student in Social Work.

Steinke said the mission to provide the Champaign-Urbana community with better health education is the hallmark of Special Populations and is reflected in the annual health fair.   

Although Special Populations has hosted the health fair for 20 years, its members have seen it grow in recent years, said Pajion Montgomery, committee chairman of the Special Populations and senior in LAS.  

“It started with a group of students who came up with the idea to have a health fair, but at first it wasn’t nearly as big as it is today,” she said. “Over the years, though, it grew and expanded into what it is today.” 

This year, the fair will host more than 80 venders, including chiropractors, physical therapists and dentists. An acupuncture practitioner will also treat students for free at the fair. Other services include free massages, blood pressure and cholesterol screenings and manicures from Concept College of Cosmetology in Urbana.

While the fair aims to be educational, it’s also meant to be entertaining, said Maritza Rodriguez, student worker for Special Populations and junior in LAS. 

“I think (the fair) is informational but also fun,” Rodriguez said. “We make it a priority to get entertainers that represent different populations of people.” 

The fair will also feature a live DJ and a myriad of performers, such as Central Illinois Irish Dance and the “Gah Rahk Mah Dahng” Korean percussion group. 

At the end of the fair, students may enter a raffle to win gift cards from various local businesses and restaurants.

Jed can be reached at [email protected].