Wellness

Page Jackson Elementary School, in conjunction with WVU Hospitals-East Jefferson Memorial Hospital, will hold a family health and wellness fair from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at the school, 370 Page Jackson Road, Charles Town, W.Va. The fair will include displays from local businesses and health professionals as well as health screenings. Families will have the opportunity to learn about services offered locally from medical, dental, fitness providers and others that have a health or wellness focus.

Representatives from Lutheran Home Care & Hospice will give a health and wellness talk and free blood pressure clinic at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at Diakon Senior Living, Robinwood Room, 19800 Tranquility Circle, east of Hagerstown, across from Meritus Medical Center. The topic is Love Your Heart. The program is free of charge and open to anyone in the community. No registration is required. For more information about home care services, call 800-840-9081.

Penn State Extension's certified food and wellness volunteer training program is in its second year. The course offers 40 hours of training, using online training modules for much of the education and ending with a full day of training at Penn State University in State College, tentatively planned for Wednesday, May 29. The cost for the training program and certification is $125. Partial scholarships are available for those with financial need. Upon completing the program, volunteers must give back 40 hours of service to Penn State Extension Programs in nutrition and wellness.

WILLIAMSPORT - The Williamsport High School track will be a destination for people of all athletic abilities on Saturday, when the power of the heart will mean more than the participants' speed. Instead of athletes competing against each other, those on the track will be part of a team effort to raise money for the families of two Williamsport High School students who are fighting cancer - senior Collin Jackson, son of Larry and Glenda Jackson of Boonsboro, and sophomore Eugene Harris, son of Ted and JoEllen Harris of Pinesburg.

I've been talking about having a massage for years, but haven't taken the time. You know how it is when you're busy - working full time, being a mom, keeping up with the laundry. It's hard for me to justify taking an hour for myself - just to relax. Finally, I had a legitimate excuse. It's for work: A story about massage. I could write it better if I had the experience, right? I put myself in the hands of Eugenia "Jeanie" Keller, a person I've known and trusted for a long time.

WILLIAMSPORT ? This Saturday, the Williamsport High School track will be a destination for people of all athletic abilities, where the power of the heart will mean more than the participants' speed. Instead of athletes competing against each other, those on the track will be part of a team effort to raise money for the families of two Williamsport High School students who are fighting cancer. Senior Collin Jackson is the son of Larry and Glenda Jackson of Boonsboro. Sophomore Eugene Harris is the son of Ted and JoEllen Harris of Pinesburg.

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - Rankin Physical Therapy is growing into a new building and expanding to include a wellness and recreation center. Built on 2 1/2 acres on Southridge Drive behind the West Virginia State Police barrack in Berkeley Springs, the facility is expected to open in early January. Owner Kelly Rankin said he saw the need for a preventive-care and comprehensive wellness program in Berkeley Springs. The 17,890-square-foot building will include a gym, regulation-size basketball court for intramural sports, space for recreational dance classes and yoga and exercise classes, "and a lot more," Rankin said.

Approximately 100 people applied to become the next president of the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Chairman Tim Henry said.Interviews will begin this month, Henry said. The deadline to apply was March 15. President Fred K. Teeter Jr. announced in January that he was stepping down to work at his wife's growing international health and wellness company. Chamber officials hope to have the executive position filled by July 1. Teeter's last day is April 30. After Teeter leaves, the chamber's staff and Executive Committee members will handle the president's duties until a successor is chosen, Henry said.

Charles Gaush, a 79-year-old Korean War veteran, was a resident of Golden Living Center in Hagerstown from October 2007 to December 2007 after breaking his leg and requiring occupational and physical therapy. Upon his discharge from the facility, Gaush was able to return home and resume independent living. Since then, he has returned to Golden Living Center where he participates in the wellness program three days a week. The facility, at 750 Dual Highway, has been part of the Hagerstown community for 38 years.

Health Department names employee of the month Cindy Dwyer is the Washington County Health Department's Employee of the Month for March. Dwyer has been employed by the Health Department since July 1997 and during that time has worked with the school health program. She began her career at Salem Avenue Elementary School as a school nurse's assistant and in 2001 transferred to the wellness center at Western Heights Middle School. Currently, Dwyer, who is a certified nursing assistant and medication technician, works with the assigned nurse practitioner in wellness centers at Western Heights, South Hagerstown High School and Williamsport High School.

Valuable life lessons never seem particularly valuable at the time. More likely, they are the source of pain, heartbreak and discouragement. Yet something deep inside some people causes them to regroup and carry on, despite the difficulty or the odds. At the annual True Grit Awards banquet, Mike Spinnler recounted some his own struggles before stating this simple but difficult truth: “When you get your teeth kicked in, you have to get back up.” It is the message behind the True Grit awards, which honor student-athletes who have overcome sometimes multiple setbacks.

Members of the Clear Spring High School chapter of Future Business Leaders of America participated in the 57th annual Maryland FBLA State Leadership Conference April 18 to 20 in Hunt Valley, Md.   The conference is the culmination of a year's worth of work and effort producing chapter reports, studying and qualifying for individual and team performance events, online testing and community service in their efforts to “Ignite Innovation” in...

Washington County lawmaker Christopher Shank moved to the Maryland Senate from the House of Delegates, where he had a well-earned reputation as a partisan bomb thrower. Shank maintained that he was just doing his job in his role with the minority leadership. But whatever the reason, this act didn't play well among the Annapolis majority leaders who, like them or not, decide who wins and who loses in the state capital. The results were self-evident. Shank struggled to pass bills and his grandstanding against state budgets - and his loud votes against them - gave the state leadership no reason to grant many Washington County funding requests.

A well driller tipped over at the Martin Marietta plant on Bottom Road on Wednesday afternoon, officials said. The operator of the piece of equipment suffered minor injuries in the accident, which was reported at 3:30 p.m., officials said. It is unclear what caused the piece of equipment to fall over, said William Ball, chief of the Williamsport Volunteer Fire & Emergency Medical Services. Firefighters helped the operator out of the rig, Ball said. Martin Marietta operates a quarry at the site, Ball said.

The economic development goals accepted by Washington County officials Tuesday have been well-received and provide a workable framework for future growth, according to some community leaders reached for comment Wednesday. “We're grateful for the economic development commission for reaching out to us and other stakeholders in the community,” said Brien Poffenberger, president of the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce. The Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission's top priorities include an assessment of current infrastructure needs, workforce development, Hagerstown's City Center, a countywide marketing plan and leaving the EDC as the lead agency for economic development efforts within the county.

The Shepherd University Foundation officially launched its new initiative, Women for Shepherd University, on April 13 with a Women and Wellness workshop held at Shepherd's Wellness Center. The event was the first of a series of women-centered programs offering opportunities to learn about life issues facing women today. Women for Shepherd University plans to hold at least two events per year with a focus on matters pertaining to health, finance, technology and life change. The Women and Wellness workshop offered attendees the choice of three 40-minute sessions along five tracks.

Planning ahead is the key to saving time and money. This means preparing a food budget, planning meals, and sticking to your plan.  Using good strategies at home and at the store can help you save money. By planning ahead and managing your money wisely, you can serve meals, which are appetizing, easily prepared and nutritious.    Most of us can change our food spending habits in ways that make each food dollar go further and still improve nutrition. Before heading to the grocery store it is important to do your homework.

With arm surgeries behind them, Christian Binford and Josh Conway are taking the next steps toward their dreams of wearing a Major League Baseball uniform. Binford, a Mercersburg Academy graduate from Hagerstown, is a pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization after being drafted in the 30th round of the MLB draft in 2011. Conway, a Smithsburg High School graduate, was originally drafted by Atlanta, but chose instead to go to Coastal Carolina University. He was then drafted in the 4th round by the Chicago Cubs in 2012.

Penn State Extension's certified food and wellness volunteer training program is in its second year. The course offers 40 hours of training, using online training modules for much of the education and ending with a full day of training at Penn State University in State College, tentatively planned for Wednesday, May 29. The cost for the training program and certification is $125. Partial scholarships are available for those with financial need. Upon completing the program, volunteers must give back 40 hours of service to Penn State Extension Programs in nutrition and wellness.

Name of business: Balance Yoga and Wellness Studio Owner: Tricia Murray, registered yoga teacher Address: 11 N. Carlisle St., Greencastle, Pa. Opening date: Jan 2, 2013 Products and services: Yoga, fitness and wellness classes, including jazz fusion, an adult dance and fitness class, and Masala Bhangra, an Indian dance fitness class; massage and Reiki services Target market: Women, but there are classes for...