STORY BY CORIE LYNN
PHOTOS BY ALEX JUAREZ
FHSU’s Forty Days at the Fort is packed with activities for students across campus.
These activities range from football games to movie nights to ice cream socials, but September 17 was devoted to students’ health.
“[The Wellness Fair] is being hosted to let the students know about everything with health and wellness that we offer here at Fort Hays and around the campus,” said Sarah Teeter, an insurance specialist with the Student Health Center.
The entities that participated in the fair varied, including off-campus organizations such as Ellis County Health Department and the Hays Police Department.
There were also a large number of campus organizations, ranging from the Wellness Center to Career Services.
“We hope they get out of it the knowledge of what’s out there to help them stay healthy and the different opportunities that are here,” Teeter said.
Rather than only hand out informational pamphlets, these organizations put good health into practice by handing out condoms, giving full-body massages, and administering free flu shots.
“There was actually a lot of stuff that I did learn here that I needed to know, especially about the police department and finding FCA and talking to the massage therapist because of stuff that I experience,” said Rachal, a Fort Hays Freshman.
She first came to the Wellness Fair as a requirement for one of her classes, but found that the fair was packed with information about services on and around campus.
Rachal also enjoyed the fair because of the opportunity to interact with participants compared to other Forty Days at the Fort events.
“I’ve learned a lot being able to talk one-on-one with a lot of people here,” she said.
Though the Wellness Fair only lasted an afternoon, resources for healthy living are available year-round.
The Ellis County Public Health Department has offices in Hays, while Fort Hays students can visit the on-campus Student Health Center and Kelly Center.