Though significantly fewer students will be treading the brick streets during the upcoming weeks, a university-sponsored event is looking to treat those still in Athens to an evening of free music and Athenian fare.
WellWorks, a wellness program and fitness center housed in Grover Center, will host its annual WellWorks Winter Gathering from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday in the Grover Center atrium. The event, which is open to the public, will be catered by about 30 local restaurants and businesses and will feature live musical performances by three local acts.
For 26 years WellWorks has provided wellness services — including personal training, massage therapy and nutrition counseling — to the Athens community as well as Ohio University employees and alumni.
Heidi Anderson, WellWorks special events coordinator, said that since the first winter gathering two decades ago, the event has grown out of its humble beginnings to become a tradition within the community.
“When WellWorks was located over at The Convo, we only had a handful of members, and it started out as a pot-luck with our employees making homemade dishes,” Anderson said. “Since then, it’s kind of snowballed into the event that it is today.”
Providing the soundtrack to the event will be Bruce and Gay Dalzell, the Coolville Hot Club, and the Athens Children’s Chorus. The acts deliver a diverse lineup of genres, including folk, Gypsy jazz, and choral music.
Local eateries will provide sustenance for the event. Dishes from Casa Nueva and Kiser’s BBQ Shack will comprise the main course, while Donkey Coffee and Espresso and Herbal Sage Tea Company provide coffee and tea. Lori’s Gourmet Cheesecakes & Bakery will provide desserts.
Chris Bruno, marketing coordinator at Casa Nueva, said that the opportunity for the company to support a local cause drives it to make donations every year.
“Casa’s been involved with the WellWorks Winter Gathering for the past few years,” Bruno said. “It’s great to help out and contribute a fresh dish, and there always seems to be a big, diverse turnout each year.”
jd202409@ohiou.edu
IF YOU GO
WHAT: WellWorks Winter Gathering
WHEN: 4-7 p.m. Tuesday
WHERE: Grover Center atrium
ADMISSION: Free
