Free fun at the mall!

Everything in this photo was free!

I went to the mall yesterday for a nice dose of freebies and fun! My mom and I are members of a group called "Spirit of Women" - a nationwide network of hospitals that host events to spread awareness of women's health. It's a great program and their events are always a blast!

Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they were hosting an event at the mall followed by a members-only "Girls' Night Out" afterward. The general event provided information and free blood pressure, cholesterol, and other screenings - as well as some neat little freebies. The heart-shaped clip, lip balm, hand sanitizer, and mini-first aid kit in the photo are all from there.

At 4:00 they closed the public event and opened up the real fun! They also allowed walk-ins for those who wanted to become a member (which is free!) on the spot, so really anyone could participate. At the entrance we were given lovely pink pashmina scarves, which was pretty amazing considering the price they usually go for! Those over 21 were given a pink ribbon shaped "silly band" as an identifier since wine was being served.

We received raffle tickets, which we could place in a basket of choice for a selection of gifts. There were a variety of info booths and freebies like hand cream and the Healthy Life magazine, which is a Hearst publication. There were several speakers, including doctors, and a demonstration from a fitness center called Stiletto Strength - they actually work out in their stilettos!

I can barely walk in stilettos, let alone work out in them! Way to go, ladies!

 
The highlight of the event was all the free food! There were gourmet grilled veggie wraps and butternut squash and apple soup being prepared by chefs right there. There was a buffet of heart-healthy foods like apple cider, veggie sticks, fruit, nuts, turkey sandwiches, and mounds of cheese. (Is cheese really heart-healthy though? Who cares - I love cheese!) A local vineyard was sampling their wines, and fancy dark chocolate truffles were passed around.

The Picture People portrait studio was offering free photographs, so we had a mini photo shoot and received a free 8 x 10 print (which surprisingly turned out nice and is already framed on the wall!). They also had these little pocket things that fold out with a mirror and a comb - so perfect to carry in your purse!

They also had various tie-ins with other stores in the mall - a scratch-off coupon for JC Penney's, a coupon for a charity event at Macy's in a few weeks, a postcard for a free trial size mineral foundation at Bare Escentuals (which I definitely claimed!), and one for your choice of skincare/makeup demos or freebies at Estee Lauder (which I'll be doing next time!)

All-in-all, it was a great event for a great cause, and I'm happy with my load of freebies and dinner :)

Other things in the photo were from elsewhere in the mall - a free magazine at H&M, body lotion trial size from Bath & Body Works (printable coupon I mentioned in previous post), and samples of Fekkai hair products I received a coupon for the last time I made a purchase at B&BW.