Family Wellness Fair This Tuesday
The fourteenth annual Family Wellness Fair will be held this Tuesday March 25th from 8 AM until noon in the Tenaya Elementary School gymnasium.
Gail Witzlsteiner, Sonora Regional Medical Center’s Director of Developmanet and Public Relations, was Wednesday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.
SRMC will offer a $25 blood chemistry panel that includes cholesterol, kidney function, thyroid, liver function and lipid panel. If you are interested in the blood test, you are asked not to eat or drink anything (except water) for at least twelve hours before the test.
The Family Wellness Fair is sponsored by Soroptimist International of Groveland and will offer several free screenings for everything ranging from vision and hearing to blood pressure, bone density, diabetes and chiropractic needs. There will be several booths and displays as well.
Additionally, SRMC is getting the word out that the Sonora Gran Fondo will take place this year on Sunday, April 27th
But what is that?
The Gran Fondo is a cycling event benefiting SRMC’s Live Well, Be Well Center, which offers free and low-cost exercise/health classes and support groups to the community.
The Medical Center launched the Gran Fondo in 2012, when the city of Sonora was chosen to host Stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California cycling race.
“The Amgen Tour was such a success, we knew we wanted to continue a cycling event in future years, whether or not we are chosen again to host a leg of the tour,” says Witzlsteiner.
The Gran Fondo traces a portion of the Stage 4 Amgen Tour, beginning in historic downtown Sonora by the Red Church, and (on the longest course) pedals to Groveland and back.
The event includes three races for riders to choose from:
Gran Fondo – an 87-mile ride from Sonora through Jamestown, past Lake Don Pedro along the Golden Chain Highway – Highway 49. Riders will pass through historic Coulterville and climb to the Lake McClure Bagby Recreation Area before turning back to Coulterville and heading up Priest Coulterville Road. They will descend via the switchbacks on new Priest Grade and then backtrack to Sonora.
Medio Fondo – a 66-mile ride following the Gran Fondo route, but turning left onto Priest Couterville Road in Coulterville, thereby eliminating the climb to Bagby and back.
Piccolo Fondo – a 28-mile ride following the Gran Fondo route, but stopping at the junction of Jacksonville Road and Highway 120 and then returning to Sonora on the original route.
Sign-in will begin at 7:00 am at Sonora High School on School Street in downtown Sonora. The ride begins promptly at 8:00 am a few hundred yards away at the historic Red Church on Snell Street. There will be a police escort through town.
Rest stops will be located approximately every 20 miles/2 hours average ride time apart. Food and beverages will be provided, including a barbeque at the end of the race.
Riders finish times will be recorded and published on topsportcycling.com following the event. The top three men and top three top women finishers of the Gran Fondo will receive prizes and free entry into the 2015 Sonora Gran Fondo.
The entry fees for each of the rides are as follows: The Gran Fondo – $65, Medio Fondo – $50 and the Piccolo Fondo – $25.
To enter, register online at www.topsportcycling.com. Registrations will be taken on the day of the ride, but entrants are encouraged to sign up early. The event will be held rain or shine. No refunds. The race will be held under USA Cycling event permit and rules.
For more information contact Witzlsteiner at the Foundation office at 209-532-5029 or Lee Shuemake at info@topsportcycling.com or by phone at 209-743-1649.
The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard every weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45am.
