Huntingdon Pennsylvania Yoga Massage Health Wellness

The Natural Connection

Healthy Harvest Festival 2004

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. 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 is budding and ready to bloom, the second annual Governor proclaimed Healthy Harvest Festival. The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 2, 2004, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association and the J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital Pediatric Department.

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 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.

On Saturday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the people of Huntingdon county and visitors are invited to join us on Washington Street including 2nd through 6^th and William Smith Streets to engage in this wonderful celebration thanks to the support from the Huntingdon Borough Council. We are also delighted that Mayor Foster Ulrich and Legislator Larry Sather will be present for our opening ceremonies.

Our goal 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.

Sandi Boyd, Practice Representative with the dental office of Dr. Jeffrey Hartman, association member, will offer two free workshops at at 524 Washington Street.
11 a.m.-12 p.m. learn about Mercury Toxicity and It’s Effects and
12 p.m. to 1 p.m. learn about what an individual metabolic type is and how it can be helpful in choosing a diet that will propel you to better health.

Vendors will set up in the middle of Washington 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, food, horse drawn wagon rides, a bounce house for kids and so much more! Musical entertainers includes Beggar’s Ryde and the Grey Shed.

On October 2 we will celebrate the efforts of the Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association, thus bringing attention to the importance of a holistic, healthy community and county. The Huntingdon area currently offers over 25 different complementary and alternative therapies, many of which can be used in conjunction with conventional medicine. We hope that this event will bring attention to the importance of working together to highlight the many talents and assets we have in Huntingdon County.

We would like to thank everyone involved for your help in putting this event together and for your desire to serve our county. Our event is supported in part by a local government grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Huntingdon County local governments, through the Huntingdon County Arts Council and a grant from Sam’s Club, the Altoona Branch.

Join us on Saturday, October 2 four our second annual Healthy Harvest Celebration 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and savor the sweetness of this cornucopia of offerings.