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WEST BLOOMFIELD — The Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce recently hosted its 16th Annual Health & Wellness Fair, with more than 40 vendors on display.
The event was held June 11 at West Bloomfield Township Hall. Around 300 people attended the fair, according to Suzanne Levine, the chamber’s executive director.
Among the vendors present were businesses specializing in assisted living, senior care, hospice care, body care, orthopedic surgery and independent insurance. There were also banks and credit unions represented.
The fair was designed to equip community members with everything they need to know to make wise choices about their well-being, Levine said.
From her perspective, wellness is a holistic endeavor.
“Wellness can extend to finances, and it can extend to your aesthetics,” Levine said. “Anything that improves your quality of life can qualify under health and wellness.”
She said she was pleased with how the fair turned out.
“I believe the impact of this year’s health and wellness event was really great because it opened up a lot of avenues … for people that had no idea that they existed, “ Levine said.
Providing options for Medicare insurance is what Susan Jackson does as an independent insurance agent, meeting her clients’ needs and budget.
“I’m doing this to help people, to educate them and bring down their anxiety,” she said.
According to Jackson, Medicare causes a lot of anxiety for seniors with its frequent mailers and commercials.
“They (seniors) are really rushed to make the best choice,” Jackson said. “And sometimes, they don’t have any resources to sit down with (and learn).”
At the Health & Wellness Fair, there were also free blood pressure screenings, free vitamin B-6 and B-12 shots, and more.
“We also had a library there because we know that reading is so important, and they offer a lot of different programs,” Levine said.
West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation was also present, offering a guide to summer programs for all ages.
“It was really great, because we have quite a variety of different businesses that offer different options for people to discover,” Levine said.
Debbie Binder, the West Bloomfield clerk and a township board trustee, was in attendance.
“I believe it actually accomplishes two things,” Binder said. “It gives some of our local businesses an opportunity to make themselves known in their services to the community. And it gives our community an opportunity to learn what businesses and services are available that they might not know about.”
The fair has evolved over its 16-year history. According to Levine, it started as an event for township employees. The township then approached Levine wanting to offer more services to the community. Once the chamber took over, new businesses began attending, and the event continued to grow.
Levine describes herself as a “business matchmaker,” bringing together companies for mutually beneficial results.
“She (Levine) knows somebody in every sector,” Jackson said. “Consider (joining) a chamber, whether it’s West Bloomfield or whatever city you’re in, because the networking resources (are) really invaluable. Especially if you’re in the healthcare space or the finance space, because it’s about trust.”
More information on the Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce is available at westbloomfieldchamber.com.
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