Health Circus comes to town

Many women, of all ages, shapes, and sizes attended the Celebrating Women, Health, Happiness, Life - Circus of Health, during the afternoon and evening hours last Thursday, in the Carlinos Ballroom of Rolling Hills Casino near Corning.

The event featured vendors, care-providers, and fitness spas associated with women's health, and was sprinkled with a schedule of events which included demonstrations such as hula dancing, Ti chi, cooking, wine, and Zumba - fitness steps danced to Latin and international music. Dr. John Kemp from Sports Medicine was also on scene for registration and later held question/answer sessions related to physical fitness.

Women upon entering the Circus of Health were given free tote bags filled with health brochures and chances to enter numerous drawings, which occurred throughout the event. The most creative drawing of the evening being the Game Show Drawing, MC'd by comedian Brad Bonar Jr., where contestants had to "Name A Tune". During the game, many in the audience had a hard time not giving stumped contestants the answers which just lent to the laughter heard throughout the course of the evening.

During and between events, ladies, and a few brave men attendees, perused throughout the vendor aisles, where they were given free massages, an obvious favorite among the crowd, and clinical screenings for such things as cholesterol and high blood pressure. Several of the vendors had small "circus" games set up allowing many the chances to win small favors such as pens, can dies, and visors, Following the wine demonstration, also a favorite, audiences received tasty samples of the Hearty Thai Chicken Salad cooked by Chief Chef Hollert, whose food demonstration was narrated by registered dietician. Laura Fox.

The Circus of Health was brought to the Corning area through the efforts of St. Elizabeth Community Hospital in Red Bluff with the support of The Emmerson Endowment, Rolling Hills Casino and the American Heart Association. The idea of the Celebrating Women, Health, Happiness, Life - A Circus of Health, came about after Sister Pat Manoli, director of mission integration at St. Elizabeth, read about the life of Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy, who thought it was very important to educate and serve women and mothers with many kinds of social services. Kristin Behrens, along with Sister Pat and many other dedicated health providers from St. Elizabeth Hospital, helped coordinate and run the serious, yet fun event, which gave women a chance to laugh, talk, dance and have a much-needed healthy night out on the town, while receiving important health information