The third annual Family Wellness Festival, produced by the Tucson Jewish Community Center in collaboration with Tucson Medical Center, will be held Sunday, Oct. 16, from noon to 4 p.m. at The J.
The keynote speaker for the free, interactive event will be Dan Johnson, executive director of the Wellness Council of Arizona, which coordinates wellness programs for worksites. Johnson is a health promotion specialist and originator of “STRIVE” motivational programs. His mission is to promote healthy work environments and healthy communities through inspiration and education.
“It’s my great pleasure to share insights of healthy living this year with the families attending the Family Wellness Festival at The J. I look forward to presenting the fundamentals of building health and happiness through lifestyle and optimism. What’s your potential for feeling enhanced strength, energy and vitality?” says Johnson.
There also will be a panel of community health and wellness specialists speaking on “Wellness through the Lens of Mindfulness, Movement, Nutrition and Pain Management,” with each panelist addressing an area of specialty:
Mindfulness: Ann Marie Chiasson, M.D., M.P.H., assistant director of the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona
Movement: Mike Siemens, M.S., director of exercise physiology at Canyon Ranch
Nutrition: Tracy Crane, M.S, Ph.D., manager of clinical services in the health promotion sciences department at the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the UA
Pain: John Woolf, M.S., P.T., A.T., C.O.M.T., owner of ProActive Physical Therapy and co-owner and co-director at the International Academy of Orthopedic Medicine
A host of child-friendly entertainment and interactive learning opportunities will be offered, including performances by Stories That Soar and appearances and book readings with PBS Kids characters. New this year, TMC’s Germ Squad will swoop in, in full superhero regalia, to teach kids all about becoming germ-fighting superheroes.
The event will feature pavilions set up throughout the J, each one hosting a theme, including safety, physical activity, food, literacy and health and wellness. All exhibitors will offer interactive activities for families so that they may leave with new knowledge and skills to make healthier lifestyle choices.
“TMC is proud to be working with the J on so many programs and events that focus on improving the health and wellness of our community. The Family Wellness Festival is a perfect example of how our two organizations are working together to promote the concepts of wellness to families in fun and engaging ways. By demonstrating how choosing healthy lifestyles can be easy and fun for the whole family, we believe we will have a positive impact on their health outcomes,” says Mary Atkinson, TMC’s Director of Wellness.
