By Nancy Young
Enquirer Contributor

LEBANON - Ralph J. Stolle Countryside YMCA will observe its 25th birthday with a "Cruise into the Carnival" celebration and health fair today. The festival takes place at the facility, 1699 Deerfield Road, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Congressman Rob Portman and members of the Stolle family will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m., commemorating the completion of a 90,000-square-foot expansion. The expansion includes an indoor soccer facility, new gym, running track and indoor pool as well as the Middletown Regional Hospital Wellness Center, a facility adjacent to Countryside.

A kids' area will include face painting, a dinosaur dig, bowling, penny drop, Frisbee toss, clothespin drop and hole-in-one golf. Magician Derek Dye will entertain visitors. Good Bye October Boys and other bands will play from 3 to 6 p.m. Gymnastics, cheerleading, tae kwon do and "kindermusik" demonstrations will be shown throughout the day.

As part of Countryside's collaboration with Middletown Regional Hospital, medical staff will be at the carnival. They will provide free health screenings and advice, including cholesterol and glucose checks, body composition analyses, massage and healing touch demonstrations and relaxation techniques.

For more information, call Countryside at 932-1424 or 621-3106.