Temperatures rose into the 90s on Aug. 23 as the sun beat down on Sonoma State's Son Fest. Even record temperatures weren't enough to keep the crowds away and students and community members alike still turned out in droves at the SSU Recreation Center.
Touted as the largest health and wellness festival in Sonoma County and now in its third year, Son Fest was geared specifically toward college students and how they can incorporate healthy habits into a college lifestyle as well as practicing sustainability in everyday life.
According to Recreation Center employee, Steve Apel, the purpose of the festival is not just about showcasing the facility and its many features and programs; it's also about education.
"We're really just trying to educate pretty much everybody that we can on our programs here so that we can get them back and get them into more of a healthier lifestyle," said Apel.
When it's not educating the masses on healthy and sustainable lifestyles, the Recreation Center itself is doing its part to reduce its impact on the environment. According to Apel, everything from furniture made from recycled materials to the wool carpets to geothermal heating all serves to minimize the environmental effect of the building.
"We're also going to a more computer based system, so all the checkouts are done electronically. We're trying to lessen the footprint left on the earth," said Apel.
The air-conditioned cool of the building was a welcome relief from the sweltering heat outside at Son Fest. While the treadmills and ellipticals in Cardio Alley hummed with the usual workout crowd, the Recreation Center provided Son Fest attendees with free massages, a tricycle race and free climbing on the rock wall.
The Mount Everest Gym played host not only to the free throw contest and volleyball contest, it was also home to the club fair. Representatives from various campus organizations were on hand to meet prospective new members, give out reading materials or just spread the word about their group. In the hallways tables lined the walls with sign up sheets for the days activities as well as intramural sports teams.
As the more health and fitness oriented activities were taking place inside, the outside plaza hosted a sustainability fair where booths were set up to educate attendees on everything from recycling to organic foods to how to start their own compost heaps.
Students mingled, floating from one table or booth to the next as the mellow, blue grass infused strains of The Easy Leaves drifted out over the heat-soaked pavement.
According to Son Fest organizer and Recreation Center employee Daisy Meyer, learning about sustainability and living a healthy lifestyle goes beyond the one-day event of Son Fest and even beyond the center itself. The Sonoma State web site is a good starting point for students looking for ways to do their part.
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