The Exercise Science Student Alliance Club is participating in the Community Wellness Festival from 9 a.m. until noon on April 18 in the Collins Center.

The ESSA members will help promote health literacy in the community. Baker University and the Baldwin City Recreation Commission are sponsoring the festival.

Festival vendors include local chiropractors, dentists, optometrists, nurses, massage therapists, physical therapists, specialists from Lawrence Memorial Hospital and the local fire department.

Baker students will have their own booths to help inform the community about topics of health.

“Our booth will have a vertical leap test, a grip strength test, and TheraBands,” senior Tanner Clark said.

Clark is sharing a booth at the festival with senior Hillary Yoder. Both are exercise science majors. They will give instructions for their free fitness tests and distribute informational pamphlets.

“Our booth is usually pretty fun,” Yoder said. “People can compete.”

Yoder is excited to see people from the community and campus at the event.

“We are glad that we get the opportunity to use what we learn in class outside of class,” she said.

Clark is eager to share what he has learned in his exercise science classes.

“I want to be able to tell people what our program is about,” he said.

In addition to free health screenings, the festival includes a 5K run/walk at 8 a.m. The 5K entry fee is $15 a person or $30 for a family, and proceeds benefit the American Red Cross’s Go Red for Women.

“I am very excited for people to come and just enjoy being outside and having a chance to be active,” Fredrickson said. “It is also really cool that people can get a health screening just to determine if their blood pressure is high, what their bone density is, and body fat.”

Fredrickson is involved with the festival through ESSA and will help people register for the 5K run. She is excited because this is her first opportunity to go to the Community Wellness Festival.

“It is just a really cool event that brings the community in to the exercise science world,” Fredrickson said.

The Community Wellness Festival is open to the public and free health tests will be available.