Healthcare System to host annual Women’s Day
By Kate Ruggles
Farmer Staff Writer
Every year the McKenzie County Healthcare Systems (MCHS) Women’s Day Event focuses on the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health of one of the community’s and society’s biggest contributors, women.
“It started a while ago in October because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it has grown to so much more than that,” states Kristin Bolken of the MCHS.
According to Bolken, the event has different topics every year, with MCHS trying to pick issues that are specific to lifting up the area’s women.
“Last year, we focused on a growing and changing community. We brought in a comedian who talked about a changing community in a funny, yet encouraging way,” states Bolken. “This year’s focus is tied to our ‘My Best Me’ Challenge.”
The MCHS ‘My Best Me’ Challenge is a fitness and nutrition challenge that started on Sept. 17.
“It was designed to push people physically, to focus on their nutrition and to create positive habits that become a way of life for them,” states Bolken. “It was not about losing weight, but about finding a balance with exercise, nutrition and daily life and empowering women to find their best, ‘Me.’”
Bolken states that this year’s focus has to do with empowering women to become the best they can become, which is why this year’s keynote speaker, The Biggest Loser Season Six winner, Michelle Aguilar, is perfect.
Aguilar entered The Biggest Loser to lose weight and resurrect her relationship with her mother. She weighed in at 242 pounds and lost 110 during the course of the show. Her determination kept her in until the show’s finals where her 45.45 weight loss percentage won her the title of Biggest Loser and claimed her the show’s $250,000 grand prize.
Aguilar has a great story of tragedy and triumph. But more than that, her new book, Becoming Fearless, chronicles just that - her journey beyond her story and beyond weight loss and toward a life of forgiveness, healing and, through that, so much more.
“Michelle’s focus is about increasing your activity and your awareness of what you are doing to your body. It’s not about percentages, but it’s about reaching your personal potential, which is why we are excited to have Michelle come and share with us.”
This year’s Women’s Day will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. in the ballroom of Outlaws’ Bar & Grill, on Tuesday, Oct. 30. The Women’s Day Committee will then announce the winners of the ‘My Best Me’ Challenge.
“The winners will win makeovers from Monjores and Meyer’s Department Store,” Bolken states.
Dr. Ramage will be this year’s Women’s Day featured speaker. According to Bolken, he will talk about heart health in women and discuss some of the warning signs of an unhealthy heart.
Following Dr. Ramage is Michelle Aguilar, this year’s Women’s Day keynote speaker. Aguilar will discuss her journey and her book. Following Aguilar’s speech, there will be a 30-minute question and answer time, where audience members will get a chance to ask Aguilar questions.
Aguilar’s book will also be on sale at the event. Anyone interested will be able to purchase her book for $15 and can then stick around for a signing from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.