Florida State University Panama City will welcome the community for its second annual Health & Lifestyle Fair, featuring new opportunities brought to Bay County via FSU Health. 

The event will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 2 in the Holley Academic Center, 4750 Collegiate Drive, Panama City. Vendors representing medical offices, fitness and nutrition centers, mental health, pediatric and senior health will be on hand. Food trucks will also be on site. 

Promoting a healthier Bay County, the event will provide information on organizations and businesses, resources, interventions and services available throughout Bay County. Free screenings will also be provided for blood pressure and diabetes, along with nutrition counseling, personal training counseling and more. 

“FSU PC values the health and resources we have in our community,” said Laurie Lawrence, teaching professor at FSU PC. “This will be a comprehensive event including vendors supplying screenings and lifestyle opportunities for our community to stay healthy. This will be a fun event that has something for everyone, with over $700 in door prizes and free coffee and bottled water for a ‘sip and stroll.’”

The inaugural event in 2023 was initiated by Sydney Pellerin, 2024 graduate, who was a Crime Scene Investigation student and president of the FSU PC chapter of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society for Students with Disabilities (DAP). She sought to draw attention to disability issues and promote physical, mental, and emotional health. 

The event then evolved into a collaborative effort involving DAP, Public Health students, teaching professor Tory Peek, communication students and professor Lawrence, as well as the Intramural Sports club and administration. “We are hoping that the community will take advantage of the valuable free services while they are here, but I hope that they leave with information about the many health related resources and services available in our area,” Lawrence said.  

FSU Health Vice President and Chief Health Operations Officer Andrew Star will also participate in the showcase. In July, FSU Health—a partnership between FSU, the St. Joe Co. and Tallahassee Memorial Health Care—opened its new medical office off State Road 79 in Panama City Beach, the first part of an 87-acre healthcare complex. 

For more information, visit pc.fsu.edu.