Health Fair Outcome

Situation:
ISU Extension was asked to participate in a health fair at a manufacturing plant in Northwest Iowa. This was the first such event for the company – the first time they had provided anything like this for their employees. Health testing was to be offered along with information at booths.

Response:
The three hour event turned out to be a 4 hour event for ISU Extension. Participants had questions, were interested in additional information, and were looking forward to the rest of the wellness campaign the health and safety committee had planned. Time was spent at the end of the health fair with health and safety committee members, who had a variety of questions.

Impact:
A recent note from the plant nurse reports that: “Just want to let you know: I put out a brief survey about the health fair at our Quarterly Safety meeting …It looks like they really picked up on the healthy eating ideas; there are requests for recipes, questions about BMI, and generally a lot of discussion about eating – even out there on the production floor. We launched a group contest to lose weight the Monday after the health fair and have 11 teams signed up. There are five to a team … Today we are having a weigh-in of the teams to see how much each team lost so far and it amazes me that these guys are having so much fun with it! I have been picking up information and recipes from web links that you suggested, and found some really good stuff. I post them on the board as well as print some for people to pick up. Thanks again for all your help and enthusiasm!!”

Contact:
Denise Wyland
Nutrition and Health Field Specialist
ISU Extension
710 North 2nd Ave. East, Suite 103; PO Box 348
Rock Rapids, IA  51246-0348
Phone 712-472-2576; Fax 712-472-2578
E-mail dwyland@iastate.edu