March 18, 2024

Wellness Coalition plans upcoming event

Discussions continued about upcoming events including the 2015 Kick Off at the Newton High School, the Wellness Leaders Workshop and Newton Talks at the Newton Wellness Coalition meeting Wednesday. A task force was also formed to address the work needed to be done for the Kick Off.

“We have quite a few activities in the works right now,” said Sheri Bensen, coalition member.

The group decided to keep the date of Jan. 30 for the High School Kick Off at the girls and boys basketball games. It is legacy night at the game and the group hopes it will draw a large crowd to help promote wellness in the community.

The group planned a similar event last year and will once again plan to do an exercise routine, hopefully in between games potentially with a fun theme to coordinate with the student cheering section. It will also have community members exercising during both games, with tallies kept of how many calories the people have burned or how far they have “traveled” while running or riding.

The Wellness Leaders Workshop is set for March 6 at DMACC and work is being done to recruit local businesses and the wellness leaders that are in charge of wellness programs at the business to the workshop. The group expanded its reach to include restaurants and fitness centers, as businesses that employee a larger workforce.

An event that the group has planned after the workshop is a series of Newton Talks, where local citizens discuss their fitness journey and the changes or work they have done to accomplish their goals. Final dates have not been set, but organizers will potentially have two dates in the late Spring and two more in the late Fall. Another option is to hold all four in April and May.

“Have a conversation between whoever is facilitating it and the people,” said Nathan Unsworth, coalition member.

The talks will consist of a group of four people telling their story, having a discussion among themselves and take questions from the crowd. Potential speakers include those who have lost a dramatic amount of weight and kept it off along with people who are disabled and how they maintain their wellness.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com