ManZone 2008: An event for men and the women (and men) who love them

Machelle Kendrick ManZone 2008 planning ManZone 2008 planning ManZone 2008

Machelle Kendrick, Northfield Chiropractic’s Public Relations Director (left in left photo), has been whipping up a frenzy of promotional activity for this Friday’s ManZone 2008 event at the Community Resource Bank (1605 Heritage Drive, off Hwy. 3), 5-9pm. I took the above photos at a planning event for the 50+ exhibitors a week or so ago. The intro blurb on the ManZone website reads:

manzone-sshotThe ManZone is a unique local event dedicated to providing men and boys with the information they need to live happier, healthier lives.

This is the first edutainment (educational + entertaining) event in the Northfield area focused exclusively on men’s health and wellness.

In last week’s Northfield News, reporter Megan Proft had an article on the event titled ManZone event highlights men’s health issues.

ManZone is open to women as well, said organizer Machelle Kendrick, noting that women have a central role in men’s health. “Women prompt men to take care of themselves,” Kendrick said. Chad Johnson, owner of Olympus Athletic Club, said it might be cliché, but the old saying “behind every great man is a great woman” holds true and that’s why this event is open to women.

Machelle has recently received comments from the gay community about some of the wording of The ManZone marketing, ie, “It’s a free event for men–and the women who love them.” She acknowledged in an email to me that “I meant no harm and with hindsight it should have read: “It’s a free event for men–and those who love them.”

James Bird of Personal Touch Photography also took photos of the planning event and sent these 3 dozen+ to me.

 

ManZone 2008 planning group
Back row.
Drew Weis, Carleton Psychologist
Matt Olson, Northern Star Boy Scouts
John Owens, Moose Heart and Mankind Project
Glenn Bourdot, ManKind Project
Chad Johnson, Olympus Athletic
Dr. Peter Haugen, Northfield Chiropractic
Brett Christensen, Sunset Salon
Mark Mueller-Dahl, Mueller Dahl Interiors and Mankind Project
Dick Zawacki, Woodcarver

Front Row:
Mike Herman, Culligan
Dale Snesrud, Olympus Athletic
Ray Johnson, Cannon Valley Water
Sid Kasper, Edina Realty

13 Comments

  1. Griff Wigley said:

    I got a thank you card from the ManZone gang, snail-mailed to my office at the Goodbye Blue Monday. Here’s a photo of it:
    manzone-thx.jpg

    January 31, 2008
  2. Steve Wilmot said:

    Hilarious!

    Is there a mail handling charge or is that covered by your lease?

    January 31, 2008
  3. Bernice Christensen said:

    Whoops…. forgot you Dr. Pete… sorry

    January 31, 2008
  4. Bernice Christensen said:

    That good looking barber from Sunset Salon is my son Brett. Come in and meet him and try one of his fabulous haircuts.

    Great job Machelle and the ManZone gang.. yes and you too Dale!!!!

    January 31, 2008
  5. shane christensen said:

    Make sure you try one of Brett Christensen hair cuts…Its the best way to take a load off…..

    January 31, 2008
  6. Recent nutritional research has identified many health benefits attending the ManZone. After reviewing these studies, I came up with the following ten reasons why you need to attend this ManZone event on Friday night.

    1. Reduces pressure from a long work week – that is, if you’ve had a l-o-n-g work week it’s gone by fast for all the ManZone volunteers.

    2. Improves blood flow to brain – a University of Northfield professor found that attending the ManZone enhances brain function to help fight sleep deprivation, fatigue, and the effects of aging.

    3. Boosts mood – It is reported that caffeine and other chemicals are not as mood enhancing as coming to an event like the ManZone. It (the event) improves your mood and eases cabin fever symptoms.

    4. Prevents cell damage By attending the MZ there is less chance of falling on the ice and crushing the cell phone in your back pocket.

    5. Improves blood sugar levels – The MZ is just a sweet community event that has the same affect on you as the dark chocolate you’ll buy for the love in your life on Valentines.

    6. Reduces risk of heart attack – a researcher the University School of Men’s Events said that going to an event on a Friday night after a long cold spell helps blood platelets clot slower in people who come to event like the ManZone.

    7. Helps ease chronic fatigue syndrome – a study found that adults in the Northfield Area with chronic fatigue syndrome who even think about attending the ManZone actually have less fatigue than those who are going to the racquetball tournament at Olympus.

    8. Raises HDL cholesterol and lowers LDL cholesterol – a Northfield High School study, inconclusive at the time of this writing—is pointing towards the fact that events created at no cost to the exhibitor or the public actually assists with cholesterol issues.

    9. Improves digestion – an Italian study found that an event such as the ManZone creates a relaxed and fun evening which results in a favorable response in the morning. (Hey! I just report the facts from the study)

    10. Eases a persistent cough – a UK study found that freeguyevent, a component in the ManZone, may be more effective as a cough medicine than other treatments. The research showed that “a freeguyevent acts on the sensory nerve endings of the vagus nerve, which runs through the airways in the lungs to the brain.”

    Wow! Talk about a panacea for all that ails you–I highly recommend checking this event out. Did I mention it was free?

    January 31, 2008
  7. I was invited to the first meeting of ManZone and blew it off. I thought I was busy with something else. Don’t make the same mistake. The people, the talent, the energy are not to be missed this Friday evening at Community Resource Bank from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. And don’t forget about the $5,000 in prizes. Where else can you be fed, entertained and win prizes just for showing up? Don’t go to coffee on Monday and hear what you missed. And thank Northfield Chiropractic for organizing the first annual ManZone event.

    January 31, 2008
  8. Griff Wigley said:

    That’s a great top-ten list, Machelle. But your racquetball argument #7 is completely without merit. I suggest replacing ‘going to the racquetball tournament at Olympus’ with ‘running around town competing in the Poodle Shoot’.

    January 31, 2008
  9. Interesting — I would have thought that men who love men were already very clearly included by virtue of the event’s being “for men”! I do like the proposed rewording as well, but I thought the original did the intended job of making clear that women as well as men were welcome. I suppose the suggested revision does more to make clear that gay men will not feel out of place at this event, which is certainly a laudable goal. Language-parsing musings for the day…

    February 1, 2008
  10. John S. Thomas said:

    Less than an hour to MAN ZONE!

    February 1, 2008
  11. Jasmine Pamula said:

    I think all of the work put into manzone was well worth every monent.
    It was a wonderful event…I still can’t stop laughing about the top ten
    event list…hilarious. GREAT JOB MOMMY

    March 14, 2008

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