Northern Michigan University students, and just about anyone who walked through the doors Tuesday at the University Center, had the chance to learn their blood type, pet a therapy dog and taste microgreens, among other healthy activities, at the annual Wildcat Wellness Health fair.

Barb Coleman was co-coordinator of the health fair, along with Matt Kilgas, a faculty member in the NMU School of Health and Human Performance.

“It’s to really illustrate the shared issues that people have relative to their health,” Coleman said.

She called the event a “coming together” of the university and surrounding NMU community.

This artificial blood cell, with antigens coming from it, is part of the Northern Michigan University Clinical Lab Science display at Tuesday’s Wildcast Wellness Health Fair at the University Center. The event offered health screenings and displays for students and the public. (Journal photo by Christie Bleck)

“People have the same common issues,” Coleman said. “It doesn’t matter what your status in life is. What we do is bring professionals together to give information, guidance, brochures, pamphlets, questions answered, samples.”

New this year, Coleman said, was a booth operated by the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market.

Market Manager Myra Zyburt said the purpose of its booth was to help people understand their access to locally grown food.

The health fair booth, for example, allowed visitors to taste microgreens.

“We have a nice selection, freshly grown and harvested this morning, which is a nice nutrient-dense food, especially in the wintertime where it’s a little harder to get super-fresh, super-local,” Zyburt said.

Local farms showing their microgreens at the farmers market booth were Tonella Farms and FreshWind Farms, both of Skandia, and Hannah’s Garden, based in Marquette.

The booth also had a message therapist, which she noted is part of the farmers market.

“So, health comes in a variety of ways,” Zyburt said. “I’ve got recipes, so again, more resources on how to use fresh food.”

Also talking about health was Lorana Jinkerson, president of the North Country Trail Hikers, the local chapter of the North Country Trail Association.

A section of the North Country National Scenic Trail, which stretches 4,600 miles over seven states — from the Vermont border of New York to the middle of North Dakota — runs through Marquette County.

Jinkerson focused on the benefits of walking.

“Anybody can do it,” she said. “You don’t have to spend a lot of money. All you need is a decent pair of shoes, and it’s healthy. It’s good for your mind, body and spirit, lowers your risk for risk of diabetes.”

The fair was a project of the Health Promotion Society, an organization devoted to promoting health and wellness on campus and in the surrounding community.