GREENSBURG – Coming up with new ideas for Decatur County Memorial Hospital’s (DCMH) Spirit of Women’s annual Day of Dance has been no easy task for Annie Wilkison.
The hospital’s women’s health education coordinator has been one of the driving forces behind the cardiac health-centered Day of Dance event for several years, but the idea well is far from running dry.
And this year’s event, slated for the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 11, is likely as full of creativity as any in the past.
Two hours of Zumba in a darkened Greensburg Elementary School gymnasium is the main focus of this year’s Day of Dance as hundreds are expected to gather for a neon-infused dance session. Wilkison said black lights will illuminate the proceedings as guests don glow-in-the-dark workout gear, lipstick, body paint, hairspray and even nail polish – if they so choose.
The end result is a human kaleidoscope of color, set to music.
Wilkison said the event’s tagline this year is “Everybody Dance Now,” echoing the signature lyrics of C+C Music Factory’s 1991 hit, “Gonna Make You Sweat.” Any perspiration may be the result of the event’s frenzy of activity which gels with its overarching focus: heart health.
Mixed among the Zumba, which takes place from 6 to 8 p.m., will be a variety of materials on how to get heart healthy now and in the future. Wilkison said the brochures to be handed out to any guest wishing to receive them will cover several topics and highlight the differences between men’s and women’s heart health. Information on diabetes, blood pressure and stroke will join pamphlets explaining DCMH’s cardiology services as well.
This year’s Day of Dance, as always, is conducted under the umbrella of February’s designation as American Heart Month by the American Heart Association. Wilkison said she hopes attending this year’s spectacle will encourage healthier living habits, spurring people to become more active not only during the winter doldrums – but also well into the future.
DCMH Marketing and Communications Manager, Lynzee McDowell said a Fitbit, a wearable activity tracker that can monitor sleep, eating habits and exercise, is the top prize this year. The opportunity to win the Fitbit comes alongside registration for a cardiac screening, which must be completed between Feb. 11 and March 13. McDowell said the screening may be scheduled for any date in the future, but registration must be made by March 13 to qualify for the chance to win the prize.
Interested individuals may call 663-1157 to schedule the screening. Saying the key words “heart month” enters that person into the drawing for the Fitbit. Registrations for the heart scan may also be made by visiting dcmh.net/heartscan.
“We’re relating it all back to heart health,” McDowell said.
Although Wednesday’s event takes place under the Spirit of Women banner, Wilkison and McDowell said everyone is welcome, no matter his or her skill level.
“It [Day of Dance] truly is to get people moving,” Wilkison said. “This is not just a women’s event … we want to be able to reach as many people as we can.”
The women’s health education coordinator said some attendees see the event as a way to network. It also makes for a memorable “girls night out,” Wilkison added.
Wilkison said the local chapter of Spirit of Women claims more than a thousand members, and has served as a source of inspiration for far larger hospitals that have yet to garner comparable interest in the organization. Across the country, more than 150 hospitals have Spirit of Women members.
The end goal of this year’s event – regardless of one’s age or gender – is to have fun while taking steps to ensure better heart health.
And there’s certainly an emphasis on having a good time.
“It’s just this big, unifying event to bring people together,” McDowell said. “She [Wilkison] is a one-woman show. This event is going to be killer.”
By Brent Brown, Greensburg Daily News