By Laken Franchetti, Editor-in-Chief
On Wednesday, Fresh Check Day was held on Stine Lake from 12 to 3 p.m. Fresh Check Day is a concept created by The Jordan Porco Foundation (JPF), and the event is designed to bring the campus community together to “check-in” on the mental health and wellness of college students.
Student organizations and clubs held booths at the event that discussed self-care, the positive impact creativity and art has on mental health, reducing stigma, and the benefits of physical activity and wellness.
The Gettysburgian table at Fresh Check Day. (Photo Eric Lippe/The Gettysburgian)
Caden Simons ’24 was helping to run the JPF booth at the event, and his brothers from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity were also holding a booth. Simons spoke on what Fresh Check Day meant to him and the excitement to take part in it.
“I’m excited to be at the event because it’s supporting mental health awareness. That’s the best thing to do, nowadays especially after COVID, everyone is dealing with that,” Simons said. “I’m glad that my brothers were able to help me with the SAE booth, and then we have the Jordan Porco Foundation here to support suicide awareness. If there is anything that I can do for it, I am going to do it.”
Counselor Emily Leitzel highlighted how September is national suicide prevention month.
“This is an event designed to support suicide prevention awareness, so we thought it would be a great time to have it in September, which also coincides with that national awareness month,” Leitzel said. “We are very excited to bring it to Gettysburg College for the first time.”
Campus Safety was one department that was running a booth at the event, and Campus Safety student employee Leah Nath ’26 appreciated that all of the booths were student-run.
“I am super excited that we are having this event and that I get to be here to participate in it,” Nath said. “I think it’s super cool that all the booths are run by students instead of faculty. I think it makes it more approachable for students to be able to talk about such vulnerable topics.”
Some of the other college organizations that held booths at the event include The Gettysburgian, the women’s field hockey team, Phoenix Rising, and Half Sole Dance Company.
Gettysburg Field Hockey team at Fresh Check Day. (Photo Laken Franchetti/The Gettysburgian)
Katy Elser ’24 represented Half Sole Dance Company and highlighted how the group has been impactful in her wellness journey.
“It’s a physical activity that has a sense of community, and it’s a good mental health thing for me,” Elser said.
Students were able to perform activities at each table, enter themselves into raffles, and grab food offered at the event. Elizabeth Houston ’27 enjoyed the resources that Counseling and Wellness were making students aware of.
“College is a big change, so having a place where I can learn how to deal with emotional problems is very good,” Houston said.
