Oatmeal Festival Comes to Lafayette, CO January 12th

The City of Lafayette, CO, will be hosting its 12^th Annual Oatmeal Festival, scheduled to begin 7:30 a.m., Saturday, January 12^th and lasting until 1 p.m. in downtown Lafayette.

The Oatmeal Festival, winner of the Governor's Award for Downtown Excellence in 2003, was created by downtown businesses in 1996 to promote Old Town Lafayette and its business community. The Lafayette Oatmeal Festival is organized by Lafayette Community Events, a partnership between the City of Lafayette, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and the merchants of Lafayette, Colorado.

The Quaker Smart Heart Challenge, a 30-day challenge encouraging daily servings of Quaker Oatmeal to measure its cholesterol-lowering power, will kick off at the Oatmeal Festival. In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the health claim that 3 gm of soluble fiber such as oats per day could be beneficial to our hearts by decreasing cholesterol levels. More than just a cholesterol-free food, Quaker Oatmeal can help improve your heart health according to the Quaker Oats Company. "Quaker Oatmeal isn't just a cholesterol-free food, it's a unique whole grain food that goes in and actually soaks up excess cholesterol and removes it from your body." ¹

The Smart Heart Challenge will be free to the first 100 people to register. Limited to 100 participants, interested persons must pre-register and be at least 35 years of age, not be on cholesterol lowering medication and be a new participant in the challenge. All persons participating in the challenge will receive two free lipid panels and some complimentary oatmeal product. For more information or to register, call (303) 926-4352.

An Oatmeal Breakfast, being prepared once again by Colorado State Legislator Paul Weissmann, will be served from 7:30 a.m. until noon at the Pioneer Elementary School, which is located at 101 Baseline Rd. This year's heart healthy breakfast menu will feature oatmeal; oatmeal pancakes; oatmeal muffins courtesy of Hanna's Specialty Foods, and a spectacular topping bar consisting of over 140 items such as fresh and dried fruit, fruit spreads, nuts and grains. Admission to this year's breakfast will be $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and youth.

A Baking Contest, organized by the Lafayette Senior Center, will also be held at the Pioneer Elementary School from 8 a.m. until noon in the school's atrium. Entries for this year's event will be accepted in the following categories: Muffins/Bread, Cookies, Desserts, Healthy Alternatives and Kid's Creations. Pre-registration is required. For more information, contest guidelines or to participate call 303-926-4352.

An Art Show, showcasing the works of the Lafayette's budding artists, will be presented courtesy of the Lafayette Cultural Arts Commission (LCAC) at the Pioneer Elementary School during the Festival.

At the Bob L. Burger Recreation Center, 111 W. Baseline Rd., health conscious attendees can put their recent New Year's commitment for getting into shape to the test at the events Health Fair, which will be held from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Organized by the Community Medical Center, a satellite facility of Boulder Community Hospital, this year's Health Fair will offer free or reduced rate health screenings including blood pressure, oxygen level, spinal screenings, cardiac and stroke risk assessments, osteoporosis screenings, vision and hearing checks.

The Denver Museum of Natural History will present several programs from its Hall of Life during the Health Fair. The hands-on programs scheduled for the event will include "The Healthy Heart", "Eating Healthy for Busy People", "Body Works" and "The Immune System". Educators from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science will also be on hand to present "The Good, the Bad, and the Ucky", a special program catering to young children teaching some of the unpleasant things the human body does to stay healthy.

To emphasize the soothing benefits of oatmeal to the skin, an oatmeal mini spa featuring facials, footbaths, chair and hand massages and 2-3 minute makeup applications will be presented by 95^th Street Spa and Salon in the Recreation Center's multi-purpose room.

Outside in the Recreation Center's parking lot the Bonfils Blood Center will have a donor van for anyone wishing to donate blood.

Grab your walking shoes and head over to the Rocky Mountain Center for Musical Arts, which is located across the street from the Pioneer Elementary School, for the 2008 Lafayette Oatmeal Festival 5K Walk/Run beginning promptly at 9:30 a.m. Admission to this year's 5K, which includes breakfast, is $30 (includes black t-shirt) and $15. Registration can be done online at http://www.active.com or at the following businesses: Boulder Running Co., 2776 Pearl St.; Fleet Feet, 2624 Broadway in Boulder; Bob L. Burger Recreation Center, 111 W. Baseline Rd.; and Lafayette Chamber, 309 S. Public Rd.

Sources:

1. Lafayette Oatmeal Festival, December 29, 2007, http://www.discoverlafayette.com

2. Quaker Smart Heart Challenge, December 29, 2007, http://www.quakeroatmeal.com/qo_HealthProfessionals/heartHealth/shcResources.cfm