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This Saturday in Cape Coral, the third annual SWFL Whole Health Fair will take place at Shark Bite Fitness and Nutrition from noon to 3 p.m. and is free to attend. Along with the opportunity to interact with health professionals, all proceeds from the event will benefit local non-profit All Abilities Play.
All Abilities Play is a Cape Coral-based initiative dedicated to building the city's first truly inclusive playground for individuals of all ages and abilities.
The event is being put on by Whole Health Collective, LLC, created by Josh Echelson, and also created by Athletic Recovery Services (owned by Echelson); Sarra Lashhab of Healing Loudly; and Courtney Faunce of Embody Collective.
Of what attendees can expect, Echelson said, "An interactive and educational day of multi-collaborative clinicians across the medical spectrum that come together to share quality information and support a great cause."
The event will also feature food and coffee by Living Vine Organic Cafe, Miles Away Coffee, And Flour Haus Sourdough. Just Move Gymnastics will have a obstacle course for kids throughout the day as well.
"We will have clinicians from PT/OT, massage, mental health, as well as others covering a wide base of the health spectrum speaking throughout the day and offering insights into their practices and how they may impact peoples lives," Echelson added. "We will also have a community outreach table for those unable to be part of this."
Of this now being the third annual event, Echelson said he partnered with a local physical therapy company in 2023 supporting ACT (abuse counseling and treatment center) to put together a women's health fair.
"It became really important for me to have a way throughout the year to give back to organizations in need," he said.
Of 100% of the proceeds going to All Abilities Play, Echelson said, "This cause is important to me because all individuals deserve to have a space that they are able to experience joy and the simplicities that so many take for granted. It is long overdue for our area to have a truly adaptive location that individuals with disabilities across the lifespan and generations may enjoy with their families."
The mission of All Abilities Play is to create welcoming, thoughtfully designed spaces where children and adults with physical, intellectual, sensory, and developmental differences can play, connect, and thrive side-by-side with their peers.
All Abilities Play lead Nicole Buday is a Cape Coral resident with an 11-year-old son, Owen, who has cerebral palsy. Buday, who also has a 14-year-old, said she found it difficult to go to a local park where both of her children could enjoy the space.
So she, along with Lindsey Harper, Rachelle Lee, Stephanie Listowski Wong and Kelly Slover, took on the task of bringing an accessible-for-all playground to Cape Coral.
The vision for the All Abilities Play park includes accessible pathways, inclusive restrooms, clear signage, quiet spaces, adaptive seating, sensory play areas, wheelchair-accessible swings, bucket swings with high backs and harnesses, wheelchair-accessible merry-go-rounds, wide slides with gentle slopes, supportive seesaws, and ramped play structures.
Attendees of the Health Fair can also look forward to raffle prizes, presentations on improving well-being, and holistic health vendors.
"The brain and the body are one," Echelson said. "We must take care of them together to best care for those around us. Life is hard and these tools from physical and mental health allow us to navigate life more effectively and be able to give more of ourselves to those who need it the most."
Of the venue, Echelson said Shark Bite has progressively been becoming more of a staple for local Southwest Florida Health and wellness.
"They are not simply a gym, but a space that changes lives and creates impacts that are widespread," he said. "They are now a location that on top of their gym, offer massage therapy and corrective exercise, athletic recovery services; neuropediatric occupational therapy, and a movement developmental youth gymnastics program."
Shark Bite Fitness and Nutrition is at 307 S.W. 7th Place.