This September, the Glasgow community once again was able to enjoy an exciting, healthy event in the form of GTown Soul Fest 2016. The goal of the event is to encourage members of the community, especially families and children of all ages, to live healthier, more wholesome lives. Not only do they want to encourage that, but they also seek to provide resources and information to make better choices and lifestyles a possibility.
This year, the Ross Medical Education Center campus in Bowling Green, Kentucky was excited to set up a booth and get to be a part of the festivities. The Ross team was right at home as the event is in part a health fair that aims to educate children about strategies they can use to live happier, healthier lifestyles. The community hopes that this will increase the wellness and positivity in the area as a whole.
Part of the meaning behind the Soul Fest is to reframe what people think of as “soul food” in an effort to help them to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families. Ross and the many other community organizations that came out were able to be a part of educating the children and families as well as supporting individuals house at the Liberty District Ralph Bunche Center as well as the Community Soup Kitchen and the GTown Souled Community Garden. Ross was also able to share about healthcare training opportunities right there in the neighborhood.
The overall event was a success. Community members enjoyed good food, arts and crafts, a bazaar, a farmer’s market, and a free concert by a local band. There were also a variety of free family friendly fun events, some brief health presentations, and even a cook off! The organizing team is already looking forward to next year’s event and coming up with ideas to make it bigger and better so that their community can continue to become healthier, happier, and closer.