FARMINGTON – A student intern at the University of Maine at Farmington Fitness and Recreation Center said she felt a one-year hiatus for the annual Community Health and Wellness Fair was enough.

Rebecca Stevens, a UMF senior working with Fitness Center Director Jim Toner, has pulled together participants to offer the fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 31, at the Fitness Center. This is open and free to everyone, she said.

Organizing a holistic health fair has been a great but eye-opening experience requiring good communication with everyone involved, Stevens said.

With a goal of helping attendees learn more about health options, the fair will present a diverse group of participants including a representative from the animal shelter to talk about pet therapy as well as a hypnotherapist for police officers who will talk about health and safety issues, she said. The police will have operating-under-the-influence goggles available. The goggles simulate what/how an intoxicated person sees the world. Police will also administer OUI tests.

Interactive exhibits such as massages, spinal screens, and tests for bone density, blood pressure and stress will be available. All of these tests will be available at no charge, she said.

An instructor from Goding’s Tae Kwon Do martial arts will be at the fair, she said, to show how the martial arts are good for the body.

For those interested in the fitness classes at the center, six introductory group sessions will be offered, she said. People can get an introduction, by either viewing or participating in, kick boxing, step aerobics, yoga, Pilates and the center’s famous Guts and Butts class. These will be friendly classes and not intimidating for someone just starting, she said.

The day will be similar to the center’s free Saturdays. It will be open to everyone to try the facilities such as the pool, cardio equipment and weight room. The whole family is welcome, she said, as there are activities for all ages.

For more information, contact the UMF Fitness and Recreation Center at 778-7495.