By Ryan Downs

Staff Writer

The Clarke inspires students on ways to take care of their bodies, and this coming April they plan to celebrate this with their annual Wellness Fair.

The 2013 Earth Day Wellness Fair, which will be held on April 17 at the Clarke, will showcase new ways to promote student wellness on campus. The idea behind the fair is to raise this awareness for health and wellness by giving students new ways they can physically better themselves and their environment while celebrating good health.

In the past, the Clarke has conducted the fair by working with various local businesses dedicated to health services in order to reach students in a unique way.

 However, as Melissa Martinez, coordinator of the Wellness Fair, pointed out, there are far more dimensions to “wellness” than just physical health. The event is a celebration of multicultural, occupational, financial and spiritual wellness as well, with plenty of free food, prizes and activities for those who attend.

“This year, the fair is targeted towards Earth Day and conserving resources to better our environment,” Martinez said.

According to Martinez, the fair is generally successful, with an average of three hundred students in attendance.

“Specifically, our goal is to provide information to students as well as a fun, interactive event to get students together and involved,” Martinez said.

The fair is more than just a fun event for students, however. The fair has historically been a very successful promoter for local businesses looking to advertise to students, who can expect a lot of benefits upon attending.

The Wellness Fair will be from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 23 at the Clarke and is free to attend.