Second annual Wellness Expo at Lincoln Park District draws new vendors
[March 17, 2026]
The Lincoln Park District (LPD) hosted its second Elevate Your
Wellness Expo on Saturday morning, a revival of the health fair that the
LPD hosted for decades before a Covid-pandemic hiatus. The Wellness Expo
offered resources from community organizations and businesses on
emotional, physical, financial, and social well-being. Patrons were able
to take advantage of physical and mental health information, free
screenings, and more while picking up lots of useful samples and swag
from vendors.
Fifty-five wellness and community organization vendors, including 21 new
vendors, registered for space to set up information booths on the indoor
tennis courts at the LPD. The doors opened at 9 a.m. and welcomed the
community until 12 p.m. to avail themselves of the many opportunities.
Health, inspiration, and community wellness resources represented
included multiple departments from Lincoln Memorial Health, a variety of
senior services and assisted living centers, chiropractors, the Logan
County Department of Public Health, Rotary Club, Illinois Breast and
Cervical Cancer Program, Educational Center for the Visually-Impaired,
LPD Foundation and Fitzone, United Way, Imago Dei Pilates Studio,
Heartland Community College, Logan County Veteran’s Assistance
Commission, Truth in Love Counseling, CEFCU, Lincoln Community Theatre,
Holy Family food pantry, Chestnut Health Systems, as well as other
wellness and family support organizations.
Molly McCain, Community Health Coordinator for Lincoln Memorial
Hospital, was promoting the new Family Mental Health kits available at
Lincoln Public Library. The kits include books and activities that
families can enjoy together to promote calm and mental wellness. The
kits can be checked out from the library without a library card to
maintain anonymity. The Family Mental Health kits are part of a regional
initiative, and McCain has plans to expand the kits to all Logan County
libraries.
A new vendor this year was Truth in Love Counseling and Care, a
professional Christian counseling office in Bloomington that serves
individuals, couples, families, and children. Phil Foster was
representing the organization and said that they provided Christian
counseling outside of the small town of Lincoln where many people know
each other. Traveling to the Bloomington office may add a better sense
of privacy.
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Truth in Love also has an ANCC board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health
Nurse Practitioner on staff who is able to diagnose, treat, and
prescribe medication for children (ages 9+), adolescents, and adults.
Appointments with the nurse practitioner are available within weeks of
referral. They accept several insurances and have a sliding scale for
private pay.
LPD Program Coordinator Allison Baker said that there had been a
“consistent flow” of traffic throughout the morning and “there were a
good variety of vendors.” The Lincoln Park District Foundation offered
Avanti’s gondola sandwiches for purchase in the ballroom as a fundraiser
available to both vendors and to patrons.
Prior to last year’s reopening of the Expo, LPD Fitness Manager Jennifer
Prather said the LPD had received many calls over the years since the
health fair was cancelled asking about its return.
She was excited to expand the new Wellness Expo to include areas of
health such as social, financial, and mental health in addition to
medical health. At Saturday’s Wellness Expo, Prather stated that “The
vendors represented all areas of wellness from the hospital to
chiropractic to our fresh sourdough baker to mental health and
counseling. The 21 new vendors brought new opportunities to Lincoln.”
She added, “We will do it again next year in early March. The vendors
felt the success and were able to get their information out.”
The Wellness Expo supports a healthy community as part of the Lincoln
Park District’s mission “to enhance the quality and availability of
leisure opportunities to meet the diverse needs of the community by
providing recreational programs, facilities and park areas for the
benefit of current and future generations.”
[Stephanie Hall]
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