Licensed massage therapist Tamara Fraser gives Benjamin Estep, 13, a massage during the Las Vegas Community Healthfest on Saturday at Plaza Park. Estep is the son of Bridgett Linger, quality director for Alta Vista Regional Hospital. He helped manage the hospital’s table during the event.
Artist Bernadette Maldonado went above and beyond when asked by state officials to help put together Las Vegas’ first health festival for women.
Maldonado served as the local liaison who helped organize the Las Vegas Community Healthfest, held Saturday at Plaza Park. She also organized a Celebration of Women art show at her gallery, the Corner Art Gallery, to take place at the same time as the health festival.
Maldonado, who is curator of the Corner Art Gallery, a fine arts teacher at Luna Community College and a published author, decided a festival all about women’s health was a great opportunity to also bring attention to women artists.
“I came up with the idea to have the art show at the same time (as the health festival),” Maldonado said.
“Why not, right?” she added with a laugh.
Maldonado said she was contacted by members of the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women, the state organization behind the health festival, to help them coordinate the event.
“We partnered with them,” Maldonado said of the commission.
Alta Vista Regional Hospital, one of the health resources represented at Plaza Park with a display of freebies, had fitting news to deliver during a health festival all about women’s health – the hospital now has a new 3D mammogram machine.
The mammogram machine is part of the hospital’s women’s diagnostic center, which includes bone density and cervical tests, said Bridgett Linger, quality director for the hospital.
No referral is needed to get a mammogram, Linger said. If the test is not covered by medical insurance, she said the hospital will work with the patient to ensure they can still get a mammogram.
“We’re going to make sure that everyone who needs (a mammogram) gets one,” Linger said.
The hospital is organizing ladies’ night events to help women feel comfortable when getting a mammogram, Linger said. During a ladies’ night, women can go to the hospital with female friends and family. The hospital will provide them with refreshments, Linger said, and, one by one, the women can have a mammogram.
A ladies’ night event is free, Linger said. Those interested in a ladies’ night event must contact the hospital to schedule it.
Linger also said the hospital’s family practice clinic has new, extended hours. These new hours are Mondays 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m.-noon.
Despite the positive changes Linger shared about Alta Vista Regional Hospital, she spent much of her time Saturday patiently listening to people who approached Alta Vista’s table with complaints and concerns about the hospital’s service.
“That’s what I’ve heard all day today,” Linger said to one woman who expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital. “We are trying to turn that ship around.”
The Leaping Deer Ranch – a wedding venue in Sapello – may at first seemed like an unusual business to be at a health festival for women. However, the ranch is also the site of a wellness center.
Yoga teacher and wellness center director Emma Dowd was at Plaza Park on Saturday discussing full moon yoga events at the ranch.
“The full moon is a great time to let things go you want to let go of … (and) bring in new things,” Dowd said.
Dowd recently completed one full moon yoga event on Aug. 19, and has been busy promoting the next full moon yoga event, set to take place at the Leaping Deer Ranch wellness center Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
The full moon event will involve one hour of yoga, Dowd said, intermixed with guided journaling, tea, and chatting. The cost of the full moon event is $35.
There is usually music involved with the full moon events, Dowd said, and September’s event will feature music by Neil Young. One of his most well known songs, “Harvest Moon,” is befitting to September’s full moon, Dowd said.
Dowd said yoga is intimidating for a lot of people, but is a practice that anyone can enjoy.
“I think yoga is for everyone,” Dowd said. “The movements can be super gentle.” She added that focusing on stretching and breathing can bring “a sense of calm, a sense of connection between the mind and the body.”
As the health festival unfolded at Plaza Park, the Corner Art Gallery featured an all-female art show.
“We kicked all the men out of our gallery,” Maldonado said with a laugh. To prepare for the Celebration of Women art show, Maldonado put out a call for art created by women. She received 49 applications from women living throughout the state as well as outside of New Mexico.
“We got a wonderful response,” Maldonado said. “We want to do this year after year.”
The applicants had to submit a biography with their application, Maldonado said. Their biography was included with their artwork during the show.
“We want people to read about (the artists) and see who these women are,” Maldonado said prior to Saturday’s event.
There were already 11 women displaying work at The Corner Art Gallery, Maldonado said. They were automatically let into the Celebration of Women show. Thirty-two of the 49 applicants were then juried into the show.
The Celebration of Women art show included henna, live music, free food and the opportunity for women to have their portraits taken with their loved ones. Gallery owner Scott Vail helped with the portraits.
“Women forget how unique and wonderful they are,” Maldonado said of offering free portraits. “After high school, they never are in photos.”
To schedule a ladies’ night mammogram event at Alta Vista Regional Hospital, call 505-426-3500 and ask for Judy Fernandez.
For more information about the wellness center at the Leaping Deer Ranch, including the full moon yoga events, call 505-565-7244 or visit leapingdeerranch.com/wellnesscenter.com.
