On Saturday morning, Stallsville United Methodist Church hosted Life Fair, an educational and fun event created to encourage people to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Church members of all ages, clad in matching ocean blue shirts, greeted the tide of visitors.
Supported by a confluence of Summerville businesses, Life Fair had something to offer everyone. Members of the community were treated to a variety of health-related services, such as having their blood pressure taken and their hearing tested.
Participants could also sample healthy snacks and were provided with a myriad of information and gifts. For those that coveted relaxation, massages and aromatherapy were available. With flu season creeping ever closer, the importance of receiving flu vaccinations was a focal point of many of the businesses.
While adults took advantage of Life Fair’s numerous resources, children amused themselves with games and an inflatable slide.
For those that hosted the event, Life Fair was not simply about educating the community on the importance of being physically in shape.
“Living a healthy lifestyle is done in a variety of ways,” said Renee Bruce, church member and volunteer. “We are here to educate people about the financial, mental, physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of health.”
Among the local business that had booths lining the inside and outside of Stallsville United Methodist Church (SUMC) were Summerville Medical Center, Publix and Walgreens.
“We’ve had wonderful participation from the Summerville community and the local businesses to make this event possible,” said Debbie Tompkins, SUMC Health and Welfare Chairperson.
Tompkins noted that, around the country, places of worship are making strides to promote good health among community members. This is done by making sure that people know how to live a healthy lifestyle and ensuring that they have access to the resources necessary to achieve this goal.
“Everyone has been so supportive of Life Fair,” said Tompkins. “We really hope we can make this an annual event.”

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com