Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Natural Health Holiday Open House Draws PDX Crowd November 15

Portland, OR—More than 40 people filled the ACHS Apothecary Shoppe College Store Saturday, November 15 for a free community wellness event. The College hosts several events a year with themes like lavender distillation and HerbDay, which emphasize seasonal tips for holistic wellness.

The November 15 event marked the College’s 5th Annual Holiday Open House. The three-hour demonstration featured several easy-to-make, all-natural holiday gift ideas and an extensive question and answer period. The College also set up several tables where, after the demonstration, participants were invited to make hand butters and sugar scrubs on the spot.

The Open House lingered into the late afternoon to accommodate the larger than expected turnout. In addition to several College students and alumni, about half the participants were from the greater Portland community with some attendees coming all the way from Ohio and Vancouver, BC.

“It’s great,” Heather Baley, ACHS Registrar, said about those in attendance. “We love to visit with our students and grads. But we’re also really happy when the community comes to our events. […] We want …to get information about wellness out there in a fun and practical way.”

Over the course of the afternoon, Tracey Miller, ACHS Dean of Admissions, demonstrated how to make an herb sugar scrub, aromatic body sprays, and aromatherapy room sprays. (All of the recipes are in the ACHS Holiday Recipe Book, available to download for free on the Apothecary Shoppe website. CLICK HERE.)

The main lesson here: Wellness doesn’t have to be complicated. “Common household items make wonderful gifts when mixed with essential oils and herbs,” said Baley. “Purchase essential oils that speak to you, and you can combine them in several ways to make custom blends. I like to share my creations with family and friends and always keep a room spray at my desk, when I need a little Aromatherapy.”

For those who were not able to attend in person—or simply want a refresher—all of the Open House demonstrations will be available on ACHStv soon. To watch the videos, go to: http://www.youtube.com/achstv.

For more wellness tips and natural, easy-to-make holiday gift ideas get a free download of the College’s Holiday Recipe Book on the Apothecary Shoppe website. CLICK HERE.

Packaging for your favorite gifts: Click here to view the Apothecary Shoppe's comprehensive stock of unique packaging for your holiday gifts.

To see more Open House photos, visit us on Facebook.

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The open house was so much fun! It was great to see everyone and make fun holiday gifts that contain all natural ingredients!

Anonymous said...

I had an excellent time! I got to meet so many students and graduates of the college. The presentations were great too I can't wait to try some of the recipes!

Lauren said...

This was an energy-packed event. I was really impressed with the level of interaction, enthusiasm, and conversation. It felt great to be surrounded by so many community members, to share this learning experience, and to play a little, too. Thanks for all the great information!

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