Student hosts variety show to inform on eating disorders

On Friday, a variety show unlike most was at Greeley's Your Place Coffee, located at 2308 W. 17th St.

The show was an eating disorder awareness variety segment called "It's What Lies Within."

The event was the brainchild of UNC student Jovanna Weber.  Weber, a recovering anorexic, wanted to share her story in hopes of educating more people about eating disorders.

She was very adamant about people understanding eating disorders and the pain such an illness causes a person, both emotionally and physically.

Mariah Foster, the show's emcee, founded her own slam poetry group, "Write with Matches." Foster spoke about how excited she was to be a part of this event and see the talent.

"I was very excited to be hosting this event and to see all the different kinds of talent being presented," Foster said.

Before the show had even begun, there was great sense of closeness and belonging among the audience, many of them being Weber's family.

Weber's mother, Joan Weber,  an artist and art teacher, was present at the event to display her own artwork, a collection of jewelry.

"I loved the large turnout," Weber said as she looked at the packed crowd.

Attendees were ready to give either their talents or money to fund eating disorder research, which Weber said has the least funding of all psychological illnesses.

The staff at Your Place Coffee showed support by wearing the eating disorder awareness T-shirts and giving deals on chili and sweets.

The talent featured for the event ranged from people all across Greeley, including the band Floof and the Time Bandits and Writes with Matches. The talent encompassed local bands and even a student from Greeley West High School. There were more than 10 acts in the show.