Community Discovery Fair at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds This Saturday

Photo taken by: Mark Truppner

Blue Zones Project Tuolumne County is inviting residents to celebrate its official launch with a Community Discovery Fair on Saturday, April 9, from 2 to 5 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds.

Cody Nelson, Senior Event and Office Specialist for Blue Zones Project Tuolumne County, was Thursday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.

This event will highlight elements of Blue Zones living, some of which is already present in Tuolumne County, while exploring core themes inspired by the original Blue Zones Power 9® principles that help people live longer, better lives: Connect, Eat Wisely, Move Naturally and Right Outlook. The event is free for the whole community.

The public is invited to come enjoy the exciting gathering with vendors like Peaceful Valley Farmers Market (a mini Farmers Market); Nature’s Whole Food Depot; Friends of Animal Community that will have adoptable pets; The Sierra Flow Fitness staff offering yoga classes and demos; and The Forest Service sharing information on where the best walking and biking areas in our county are.

The Mother Lode Bike Coalition will team with Sonora Cyclery and CHP for simple bike repairs, a bike rodeo course, and free bike helmet fittings (please bring your bike).

Food samples will be provided by local favorite, Devon’s Delectables, the Rock of Twain Harte, Seven Sisters at Black Oak Casino and Peaceful Valley Pies.

Plans include giveaways at the door for all attendees, and chances to win other great prizes at the event including a $250 grocery gift card.

Master Gardeners is presenting a demo on gardening and will also offer a plant sale. The Makers Lab (Arts Alliance) will have a free craft for the kids that includes painting and planting a garden pot. Kids’ activities and games are provided by local Youth Centers. UC Co-op will have a stationary bike that you can ride to activate a smoothie blender. The mini Farmers Market and Master Gardeners Plant Sale are the only areas to bring your wallet for.

If you want to try disc golf, you will have the opportunity and instruction from Tuolumne County Disc Golf Club. There will also be E-bikes that you can take for a demonstration ride. The “Lucky CuZn” brass band will give the event a joyful sound from 2 to 4pm.

The Blue Zones Project Tuolumne County team encourages everyone to come out and enjoy an afternoon outside. They have planned an event that promises to be fun and engaging for the whole family.

The highlight of the event is nationally-known speaker Nick Buettner, Vice President of Community Engagement and producer of Blue Zones expeditions with his keynote speech at 4pm focused on Blue Zones Project history and outreach. As a speaker, he shares both the encouraging real data about the original blue zones areas and the longevity habits and practices discovered, as well as his own personal anecdotes about his conversations with the amazing centenarians.

Blue Zones Project’s local team will be at the Community Discovery Fair to answer questions and explain the opportunities for Tuolumne County residents to be part of their many outreach events and projects to help everyone live longer, better.

More information about Blue Zones Project Tuolumne County is available at tuo.bluezonesproject.com. They are also on Facebook and Instagram.

Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city’s environment, policy, and social networks. Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner’s findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Blue Zones launched the first pilot community in 2009 in Albert Lea, MN with groundbreaking results. In partnership with Sharecare, the model has since been applied to more than 70 communities across North America, impacting more than 4.35 million citizens. The population health solution includes two Health Districts in California; 15 cities in Iowa; the city of Fort Worth, Texas; Corry, Pennsylvania; Brevard, North Carolina; Walla Walla Valley, Washington; and communities in Southwest Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.bluezonesproject.com.

Blue Zones Project® is brought to Tuolumne County through an innovative sponsorship with Adventist Health and Blue Zones, LLC. Adventist Health is a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 80 communities on the West Coast and Hawaii, as well as others across the U.S. through its Blue Zones® organization, a pioneer in taking a systemic and environmental approach to improving the health of entire cities and communities.

The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.