WATERLOO - On Oct. 17, Covenant Foundation brings a full day of empowerment, entertainment and camaraderie to women across Iowa in a one-day health event, Speaking of Women's Health.

As Iowa's only event in the 2008 national tour lineup, Covenant Foundation will host the fifth annual Speaking of Women's Health conference at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in downtown Waterloo from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organizers anticipate another sellout.

Tickets are $35 per person, and include free health screenings, continental breakfast and luncheon, more than 25 breakout sessions, morning and afternoon keynotes, and pampering gift bag.

Speaking of Women's Health provides 1,000 area women an opportunity to hear national and local experts on topics such a nutrition, stress management, and heart disease.

Proceeds from the Speaking of Women's Health conference are earmarked to support patients served by Covenant Medical Center-Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare through the Covenant Foundation. Since 2004, $150,000 in Speaking of Women's Health Community Investment Grants has benefited area not-for-profits supporting women and children including Seeds of Hope, Girl Scouts, Kids Café-NE Iowa Food Bank. Each attendee will be asked to bring canned food items to support one of the SWH community investment grant recipients, NE Iowa Food Bank to exemplify the pay it forward model of the SWH initiative.

Tickets sales begin Aug. 31. On that day, the public can complete and mail in the SWH ticket request form available exclusively in the Courier.

The maximum number of tickets available for purchase per individual is two.

Tickets will be allotted by postmark, on a first-come, first-delivered basis. Once sold out, all unfulfilled tickets requests will be returned if check is enclosed or shredded if credit card information submitted with seven business days of receipt. Tickets are transferable but not refundable.

Attendees will hear from two national keynote speakers. The morning keynote is Joyce Morley-Ball, EdD, who will present "Discovering Your Everyday Super Heroes."

Morley-Ball is a talk show host, author, poet, and columnist, and she serves as an expert consultant to magazines, and newspapers. She was born the youngest of 14 children, and is the owner and CEO of Morley-Ball & Associates Inc. She holds a bachelor of science degree in elementary education/psychology; a master's degree in counseling, specialist degrees in counseling and education administration, and a doctorate in counseling, family and work life.

The afternoon keynote is Nancy Coey "Attitude is Everything-What Would I Do If I Did Remove the Mattress Tag?" Her fast-paced presentation is filled with specifics and down-to-earth examples, and participants will learn some strategies for viewing their life and circumstances in the best possible way.

She has developed her insight from more than 20 years of teaching the dreaded freshman English at Ohio State University, the University of Hawaii, and North Carolina State University. Her work has been highlighted on the PBS Series, "Excellence in Teaching." In helping students, "train their eyes," Nancy trained her own. Her book, "Finding Gifts in Everyday Life," a collection of true stories from her own life, is in its fifth printing and is a B. Dalton "Book of the Week." She is also the author of the monthly e-column, Everyday Gifts, and a frequent contributor to wellness magazines.

Breakout sessions include: Discovering the 'Super Powers' of Smart Skincare, Your Joint Pain is Personal… So is Your Treatment; Making the Most of Your Doctor's Appointment; "Health News Below Your "Super Hero" Belt -For Women and the Girls in Their Lives"; Strong Women, Strong Bones; Discover Your Everyday 'Me Time'; You and Your Heart - What You Need to Know; Diabetes: Prevention and Treatment.