All things health in store at Wellness Expo

MANATEE — If you sample everything offered at the upcoming Wellness Expo at Woodland - The Community Church, event organizers say you can nearly get a full physical and an hour-long body massage, all for $5.

The only catch is that your physical and body massage must be acquired in 15-minute chunks as you meander among the 75 vendors expected at the event, set for 6 p.m. Tuesday on the church grounds at 9607 State Road 70 E.

“By the time you get through all of these screenings you will come close to a full physical and an hour-long massage,” said Holly McAndrew, a church volunteer who has worked for three months to plan the event, which is being held in concert with the Manatee County School District.

Healthcare America will offer skin, glucose, breast, cholesterol, bone density, anemia and pediatric screenings.

Blake Medical Center will offer pulmonary function screenings and will promote an active senior adult exercise class using a Wii machine.

McAndrew signed up a personal trainer for children, along with dietitians, eye doctors and a host of holistic medicine centers, including two holistic teaching kitchens that will be cooking and sharing at the event.

There will also be two authors on hand who have written wellness books, including Tim Passmore, the senior pastor at Woodland, who will sign copies of his book, “One Fry Short.”

Local author James Smith, who wrote “I Was Born to Win,” will also be on hand.

One booth sure to get some buzz is the Max Wellness booth, representing a new national chain conceived by the Office Max people.

“You name it and they got it if it pertains to wellness,” McAndrew said. “It’s a wellness retail store.”

Kristi Dickerson, the school district’s wellness coordinator, said the district is committed to getting people to be aware of health options and issues.

“We want to educate not only our school board employees, but everyone in the community about the wellness products and services in the community,” she said Thursday.

“We want them to be aware of what they can do to make their lifestyle a little healthier,” she added. “We have so many talented people who also want to reach out and help.”

The expo, which attracted 500 last year, will also feature an appearance by Richard Couey, professor emeritus of health science at Baylor University.

Couey is slated to speak at about 7:30 p.m. about whole body wellness and illness prevention.

The expert in exercise physiology, sports medicine and nutrition is a former member of the President’s Commission on Physical Fitness and Sport, and was a consultant for the U.S. Olympic team.

“I think it will be a good event for adults to go to based on the fact there are health screenings,” said Pastor Mike Wilder, 24, the children’s minister at the church.

Tickets to the expo cost $5 and are available for sale at the church or at www.gowoodland.com/WellnessExpo. Admission is free to school district employees who present a valid district identification.

For information, call (941) 708-8770, ext. 2249.