Annual Holistic Dinner set for Oct. 29
Oct. 15, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- Holistic health and the ways it can impact everyday life will be the focus of the upcoming 15th Annual Holistic Dinner offered by the Western Michigan University Holistic Health Care Program.
The dinner, set for Wednesday, Oct. 29, at the Birches, 3082 S. 9th St. in Kalamazoo, will feature a panel discussion and town meeting titled "Holism in Everyday Life: Inspiring Stories." The cost is $20 for holistic health students and $30 for alumni and the general public.
The evening will begin at 5 p.m. with networking. Guests are asked to bring business cards, and brochures and flyers about holistic services they provide in the community or events they are organizing. Music will be provided by Jenise Brown and Adam Jones, both graduates of the holistic health program. A full dinner buffet will be served at 6 p.m. and will include both vegetarian and chicken options.
The program will begin at 7 p.m. Karen Horneffer-Ginter, holistic health program director, will welcome guests from the community, the faculty and current and former students before she introduces Dr. Janet Pisaneschi, dean of the WMU College of Health and Human Services. Beverly Love will be honored with the program's Outstanding Alumni Award.
The panel will include Gay Walker, a faculty member, who will talk about the Diane's Way Expressive Art and Comfort Care Program of Borgess VNA Hospice; Meribeth Bolt, a holistic health care certificate holder, who will talk about the use of holistic practices to address multiple sclerosis; Marcy Clark and Deanna Tree-Wines, who will discuss their work as massage therapists with the homeless; and John Hendrix and Susanne Pettigrew, who will explain their development of a system to provide integrative holistic health services as part of the Grand Valley Health Plan.
The panel discussion will be followed by a town meeting in which people from the audience will be invited to tell inspiring stories of the use of holistic practices in their lives. Comments will be limited to two minutes to allow guests to tell their own stories of using holistic practices. A recognition ceremony will follow honoring those people who have earned their holistic health care certificate during the past five years.
In addition, Athena Bookstore will sell books on a variety of holistic health topics. The second printing of "Seeds of Awakening," written by four holistic health faculty members, will also be for sale.
For more information and a registration form call (269) 387-3556.
Media contact: Mark Schwerin, 269 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu