NSU’s annual Wellness Day on Feb. 12 will feature the grand opening of the Community Farmer’s Market of South Florida, which will be held every Wednesday from noon to 6 p.m. on the Alvin Sherman Library Quad for attendees to purchase fruits, vegetables, bread, honey and other fresh foods.
Associate Director of Campus Recreation Marcela Sandigo said that NSU has been trying to bring a farmer’s market to campus for a long time. She hopes that students, staff and faculty will take advantage of having easy access to fresh foods.
Marilyn Gordon, registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist at NSU, said that scientific research shows that foods taken directly from the garden have more nutrients than foods that are shipped because of the chemicals used to retain freshness during transportation.
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to have health on their mind throughout Wellness Day by wearing sneakers to class and work. “Wear Your Sneakers to Work Day” aims to demonstrate than fitness can be fun and enjoyable.
Wellness Day’s headline event, held this year from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the library quad, will feature free healthy food, games and prizes, all to encourage healthy living. There will also be fitness challenges, exercise demonstrations, relay races and other activities.
Gordon said, “Wellness Day is like a carnival. You get to play games, win prizes, get a little hot and sweaty and eat some delicious food.”
Six tents will invite attendees to participate in games related to one of the health dimensions: intellectual, social, physical, emotional, spiritual and occupational. Each game will be aim to inform participants on the university’s wellness resources.
According to Sandigo, the event’s goal is to address a common concern.
“We constantly hear that the NSU community doesn’t feel there is enough wellness-related programs going on, so that is our focus,” she said.
Lauren Lovino, student employment assistant at Campus Recreation, said that once participants complete each game, they will receive a ticket to select prizes. They can win up to six prizes, including a straw beach mat and an ear bud wrap.
Lovino is also president of the new student organization FitWell, which will share a booth with Whole Foods on Wellness Day. Whole Foods representatives will present a granola-making demonstration and volunteers will hand out granola samples. They will also give out information on eating healthy while on a budget.
The event coordinators expect around the same amount of people to attend as last year: 650.
For more information on Wellness Day or the weekly farmer’s market, contact Sandigo at 954-262-7018 or at pmarcela@nova.edu.
