BECKLEY, W.Va. – As part of its ongoing efforts to promote the importance of healthful, locally produced food, Beckley ARH Hospital will host a community Food Is Medicine Day on Aug. 27 featuring a farmers’ market, a cooking demonstration and a roundtable discussion.

The event, which will also feature entertainment by Fayetteville musician Andrew Adkins, will take place behind the hospital from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We recognize that we live in a world of convenience, where the easiest decisions are not always the healthiest decisions,” said ARH Regional Community Development Manager Kelly Elkins. “We want to change that. And one way to do that is to knock down the barriers that might prevent someone from making healthier food choices.

“We’re very excited about this event as it’s an opportunity for us to educate our community on how they can make healthier food decisions, as we showcase the hard work of our local farmers and producers.”

West Virginia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt will attend the event and is expected to join ARH Chief of Staff Rocky Massey in signing a proclamation affirming the department’s partnership with ARH in promoting Food Is Medicine in southern West Virginia.

ARH Director of External Affairs Nika Larian said the event will highlight the power of partnership in improving community health.

“We’re honored to join the West Virginia Department of Agriculture in proclaiming our shared commitment to linking local food and healthcare,” she said.

The market will remain open following the proclamation signing, but visitors who have completed their shopping are invited inside the hospital gym at noon, where Fruits of Labor founder Tammy Jordan will perform a cooking demonstration.

“Tammy is a talented chef and we’re really looking forward to learning as she shows us how to create something both delicious and healthy,” Elkins said.

The day’s activities will conclude with a roundtable discussion from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., during which representatives from throughout the region will discuss Food Is Medicine.

Larian said she looks forward to the discussion, as it addresses the importance of Food Is Medicine, a model of healthcare that focuses on the idea that a healthful diet can treat and prevent a variety of health problems.

“It will bring together leaders across agriculture, education, and healthcare to identify real solutions that strengthen our food systems and increase access to nutritious foods in our Appalachian region,” she said.

Elkins said she looks forward to the event and encourages community members to come out, visit local producers, purchase healthful food items, and learn more about the importance of a nutritious diet.

“At our ARH, our mission is to improve the health and promote the well-being of everyone we serve,” she said. “That commitment doesn’t end when someone steps outside of our hospital or clinic walls. We make every effort to meet our community members where they are, providing them with the tools they need to live their healthiest lives.

“This event is one more way for us to do that.”

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Vendors for the ARH Farmers’ Market will include Homemade Homegrown, Mear Mae’s Meadow, Crook Brothers, Lavender Hill Roost, Fruits of Labor, Critchley Farm, Feed and Deli, Hungry Microbes, and Olden Days Farm and Cottage.

Items available for purchase will include breads, jams, jellies, sunflower microgreens, lavender products, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers, sourdough, and a variety of additional baked goods.

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