| Story Date: Monday, August 14, 2006 Rally Round the Rails health, wellness event coming in September By Brooke Vermillion Reporter When discussing the subject of health, one often thinks about physical wellness or sickness. But according to the actual definition, health is one's overall condition. So in an effort to educate the community on the various organizations and businesses that offer services to maintain Arkansas River Valley residents' all-around health and well-being, a local group is organizing an wellness festival. The first Rally 'Round the Rails event, coordinated by members of the RIVER VALLEY METH PROJECT, is slated to be held Sept. 22-23 at the Depot Park in downtown Russellville. Live entertainment, music and dancing will be a part of the event, as well as informational booths and free health and safety services, according to event coordinator Sean Huss. Huss and co-coordinator Terri Earnest, both assistant professors of behavioral sciences at Arkansas Tech University, said the event their group is planning is much-needed in the local community. Huss and Earnest, along with their students, spent the last two semesters at Arkansas Tech Unversity conducting and evaluating a community survey related to local citizens' views on the drug problem in Pope County. But while reviewing the results, they learned more than just the community's feelings on drugs. "When the survey results came back, we realized the people really aren't aware of a lot of the issues and problems in the community," Earnest said this week. She said the group decided to have a festival to point out some of the unseen problems and allow local organizations and businesses to provide possible solutions. Huss explained if people don't feel attached to the community, then they usually don't feel they have a voice when important issues arise. And to change those feelings, he said people have to get more involved in the every-day aspects of the area. "The further people get away from downtown as a sense of belonging, the more alienated and isolated they are going to feel," Huss said. "And it (the city) just becomes a place where you go shop instead of the place where you live. So our goal is to start bringing people back." Earnest added, "Russellville is growing. And the more it grows, the more problems there are going to be. That's just how it is." And although the Meth Project Huss and Earnest are involved in was designed to target a specific issue the area faces, Huss said the festival would target a broad spectrum of wellness concerns through aspects of physical, mental, and social health. "There's more to wellness than just physical health," he said. "There's mental and social well-being that deals with happiness and quality of life issues." Some of the organizations the coordinators hope will participate include the River Valley Prevention Coalition, the Home Health Agency, Child Development, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Arkansas River Valley, etc. The coordinators are planning to host services from car-seat safety to blood-pressure checks. Health food presentations, environmental group talks, singer/songwriter performances, and other activities are also being planned. The Rally 'Round the Rails is one of many activities scheduled at the Depot Park for September. Watch for further details of all activities. |