The Panther Prints March 5, 1996

Fair Thee Well: UPEI Holds Health Fair

by Amy Gallan

UPEI's third annual Health Fair was a success. The extravaganza at the UPEI Sports Centre was held on Wednesday and Thursday, February 28 and 29, and featured a variety of health related exhibits.

Upon entering the second floor lobby of the Sports Centre those attend- ing were entered into a draw for one of seventeen generous door prizes, includ- ing one free credit-course at UPEI. Other prizes were donated by such organizations or businesses as the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Bank of Nova Scotia, CBC, and Pizza Delight.

Approximately 300 people came to see a total of 14 exhibits displaying a variety of topics. These included mental , health, alternative therapies, stress and

relaxation, AIDS, nutrition and stress,

fitness, risk factors for heart disease, daily physical activity (active living), healthy lifestyles, sun awareness, smok- ing, date rape, food budgeting, and finances (student services).

Many of the participants under- took the project as a part of a health program. The Health Fair, and these students’ part in it, was worth 20% of

. the students’ mark. This caused the

students to work hard to make their booths appealing and informative to the public. One student admitted that the actual assembly of the booth took her group four days to complete.

Local organizations and busi- nesses also cooperated greatly with the organizers, donating goods and products to be prizes for the booths. In fact, the organizers and students exercised so much ”go-getting” that all booths had draws with prizes to be won. Others donated money for the exhibits, such as

’ the Rotary Club, who donated money for

an exhibit from Partners For Living. The PEI Lung Association placed an exhibit in the fair, saying "We are very pleased to be invited to the Health Fair because it's and opportunity for us to speak with university students."

WANT. TO STAND OUT IN THE

For More Information Contact 569=

The organizers of the event worried that perhaps the Sports Centre was not the best place to hold the Fair, because students would have to go out of their way to visit the event. However, this did not seem to be the case. Stu- dents did come to see the ehibits, and in return they were treated with donuts and other “goodies”.

Organizers said that not only the student turn-out but also the interest of the students in the topics was a success. "It's very interesting to see fields that don't usually get alot of exposure," said one UPEI student after handing in a survey judging the Fair, the booths, and the marketing.

This survey was of great interest to the organizers of the Health Fair. They wish to use the information to find

~ out who attends the Fairs, and to dis-

cover which of their marketing tech- niques worked best. The organizers will then use their feedback to work on next years Health Fair in the hope that it will be an even greater success.

A Smoker's View

by Alice L. Gallant

For several years now, I have gradually been forced to accept that as a smoker I was being pushed further and further aside by changing attitudes. Also as a smoker, I have accepted that I have a responsibility to show a certain amount of consideration for others who do not smoke. What I was not aware of until recently was that no matter how much consideration I am prepared to show, I will receive absolutely none in return.

The university's decision to increase enforcement of their smoking policy in the middle of a semester has stripped me of the right to decide for myself if I am prepared to continue as a student at UPEI under these circum- stances. I have put too much money, time, and effort into my current studies to simply walk away in mid-semester.

5

_ Like the other students on campus who smoke. I will once again back down in the face of public opinion, and the threat of a $100 fine, and step outside to smoke. But, I will no longer do so without expressing my bitterness and my resentment over this intrusion into my rights. UPEI exists because of students like myself, and I do not believe it will continue to function as effectively in the future if students cannot be certain that their right to know what to expect will not be violated.

If the areas which were used previously as smoking areas are no longer suitable for whatever reason, then change the location of those areas. The areas cannot simply be removed on less than twenty-four hours notice, and the

Smoking Policy

Unfair?

students cannot be expected to accept such a serious lack of consideration. Furthermore, it is inconceivable that on a campus the size of this one that three or four indoor areas could not be set aside for the great many smokers who attend classes at UPEI.

No, I do not expect that my bad habit will ever again be as acceptable as it once was, but I do expect some consideration from others. I expect others to appreciate that I have spent almost as much money on Kleenex and Aspirin this winter as I have on gasoline due to the amount of time I have spent outdoors in poor weather conditions. I expect others to understand that I am quite willing to continue to smoke outdoors because I am aware of how others feel. And I most certainly expect others to realize that I am still human even if I do persist in smoking.