Friday, March 29, 2013
It's Hanover High School's birthday but you get the gift (of fitness)
How times flies when we're all having fun (getting smart and fit, that is)! To celebrate Hanover High School's tenth year of educational excellence in the community, you can be part of their innaugural 5k Run/Walk on Saturday, April 20 at 8:30 a.m. (giving yourself the gift of health and exercise). The event is sponsored by the HHS boys' soccer team and boys' and girls' track teams. Registrants who sign up before April 7 pay $20 per person or $50 per family, but if you're a Hanover County student or staffer (yes, all of us "Pamunkey-ites" are included), your cost is just $15. After April 7, the cost shifts to $25 per person, $60 per family, and $20 for county students/staff. T-shirts are guaranteed for early registrants. Food, prizes, and awards add to the fun! Visit http://www.facebook.com/HanoverHawks5K for more info or to access the registration form. If you have questions, drop an e-mail to kimberly.farnsworth007@gmail.com. And a big thank you to my colleague Christy for sharing this info with us!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Financial health = "what's going to be in your wallet?"
My colleague Jaime tipped me off about an upcoming four-part workshop series on retirement planning and financial education (read: "wallet health"!) for Hanover County employees that we "Pamunkeys" may be interested in. Retirewise will be presented by representatives from MetLife in a four-part workshop at the county's Board of Supervisors auditorium on Thursdays, April 11, 18, and 25 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. and May 2 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. The workshop offers attendees wonderful tips and tricks to make retirement planning easier and will provide a helpful, "go-to" resource guide to answer all your questions. One-on-one consultations with MetLife reps will be available for those interested.
To register, call 1-866-801-3547 or visit www.metlifeplansmart.com - enter the code Hanover County (two words). Don't let your retirement plans simply be "yeah, I'd like to some day"...get informed now and make your future financial plans safe and secure ones.
To register, call 1-866-801-3547 or visit www.metlifeplansmart.com - enter the code Hanover County (two words). Don't let your retirement plans simply be "yeah, I'd like to some day"...get informed now and make your future financial plans safe and secure ones.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Instant Recess!
A week or so ago, I attended a (virtual) webinar about a funtastic initiative started out on the Left Coast called Instant Recess. The goal of the initiative is to "get America moving ten minutes at a time." In a nutshell, instead of taking a quick break during the workday to have a smoke or a candy bar, Instant Recess gets people up and away from their desks or workspaces, spending ten minutes doing simple (and I mean super-simple!!) dance steps, stretches, movements to music.
In the webinar, it's explained that libraries (as a center of information and community interaction) are the perfect place to launch an Instant Recess program. In some settings, one staff member leads the whole shebang each week; in other settings, different staff members rotate the duties (keeping the step repetoire and the musical selections fresh!). Basically, they pick a time each day (say, three o'clock), make an announcement to staff and patrons inviting them to join the leader in the designated place (the meeting room, in front of the circ desk, out on the sidewalk), and spend the next ten minutes getting heart-healthy, burning calories and having fun!
I recently demonstrated Instant Recess to management colleagues at our monthly meeting and also shared it with my own staff, utilizing the African Dance Lift-Off IR found here. It's amazing how many smiles sprung up during the sessions, even from those people who grudgingly said they don't "like to exercise" or "can't do the steps." Point is, by getting up and moving you'll see how much fun getting healthy can be...and isn't that the whole point of why we're doing these things?
(As an added bonus, if you're like me and you wear your pedometer constantly, you'll be thrilled to know that the average Instant Recess session will "use" over 500 steps. Wow!)
To learn more about Instant Recess, visit http://www.toniyancey.com/IR_Book.html.
To view the archived webinar, check out www.infopeople.olrg/training/instant_recess.
For more Instant Recess session ideas, type "Instant Recess" into your search engine or YouTube.
Give IR a try at your next staff meeting or long get-together. We'd love to hear about your ideas and sessions here, as well!
In the webinar, it's explained that libraries (as a center of information and community interaction) are the perfect place to launch an Instant Recess program. In some settings, one staff member leads the whole shebang each week; in other settings, different staff members rotate the duties (keeping the step repetoire and the musical selections fresh!). Basically, they pick a time each day (say, three o'clock), make an announcement to staff and patrons inviting them to join the leader in the designated place (the meeting room, in front of the circ desk, out on the sidewalk), and spend the next ten minutes getting heart-healthy, burning calories and having fun!
I recently demonstrated Instant Recess to management colleagues at our monthly meeting and also shared it with my own staff, utilizing the African Dance Lift-Off IR found here. It's amazing how many smiles sprung up during the sessions, even from those people who grudgingly said they don't "like to exercise" or "can't do the steps." Point is, by getting up and moving you'll see how much fun getting healthy can be...and isn't that the whole point of why we're doing these things?
(As an added bonus, if you're like me and you wear your pedometer constantly, you'll be thrilled to know that the average Instant Recess session will "use" over 500 steps. Wow!)
To learn more about Instant Recess, visit http://www.toniyancey.com/IR_Book.html.
To view the archived webinar, check out www.infopeople.olrg/training/instant_recess.
For more Instant Recess session ideas, type "Instant Recess" into your search engine or YouTube.
Give IR a try at your next staff meeting or long get-together. We'd love to hear about your ideas and sessions here, as well!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Healthy Eating Blog - The Detoxinista
A co-worker turned me on to this blog -- The Detoxinista! She has some great recipes, especially desserts! I am a fan of the Vanilla Chia Pudding for breakfast with blueberries and bananas on top. I like that the recipes are simple and include fresh, natural ingredients. Enjoy!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Lace up your sneakers for local schools
Runners, walkers, joggers: get ready to lace up your sneakers for two great events coming up at local elementary schools.
Saturday, March 2, 2013 - The sixth annual Tiger Trot benefits the PTAs of both Henry Clay and John Gandy Elementary schools and starts on the Henry Clay grounds, 310 S. James St. in Ashland, then winds through the historic town. There's a 1/2 mile and full mile fun run for kids (ages 12 and under) and a 5k (on flat ground, I'm told) for everyone. The 1/2 mile starts at 8:00 a.m., the miler at 8:15 a.m. and the 5k at 9:00 a.m. Cost is $20.00 for adults (Hanover County employees get that discount/pay incentive!), $10.00 for kids. Professionally chip timed.
Register at: https://www.raceit.com/register/default.aspx?event=18277.
Saturday, March 23, 2013 - South Anna Elementary serves up its fourth annual Spirit Stride to benefit the school's PTA with a one mile fun run at 8:00 a.m. and a heart-pumping 5k at 9:00 a.m. Races start and end on school grounds, 13122 Walton's Tavern Road in Montpelier, but the majority of the race is along the road, which features a long hill near the start/finish line. (You can do it!!) Cost is $20.00 for adults, $15.00 for kids. Professionally chip timed.
Register at: http://www.racetimingunlimited.org/R/SAE/entry13.pdf.
Saturday, March 2, 2013 - The sixth annual Tiger Trot benefits the PTAs of both Henry Clay and John Gandy Elementary schools and starts on the Henry Clay grounds, 310 S. James St. in Ashland, then winds through the historic town. There's a 1/2 mile and full mile fun run for kids (ages 12 and under) and a 5k (on flat ground, I'm told) for everyone. The 1/2 mile starts at 8:00 a.m., the miler at 8:15 a.m. and the 5k at 9:00 a.m. Cost is $20.00 for adults (Hanover County employees get that discount/pay incentive!), $10.00 for kids. Professionally chip timed.
Register at: https://www.raceit.com/register/default.aspx?event=18277.
Saturday, March 23, 2013 - South Anna Elementary serves up its fourth annual Spirit Stride to benefit the school's PTA with a one mile fun run at 8:00 a.m. and a heart-pumping 5k at 9:00 a.m. Races start and end on school grounds, 13122 Walton's Tavern Road in Montpelier, but the majority of the race is along the road, which features a long hill near the start/finish line. (You can do it!!) Cost is $20.00 for adults, $15.00 for kids. Professionally chip timed.
Register at: http://www.racetimingunlimited.org/R/SAE/entry13.pdf.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Don't stress out! - Upcoming webinar you may be interested in
Don't forget your mind when you're thinking about wellness! Many of us hear "health" and think of physical activities...but we all know that mental health is just as important for our overall well-being as is eating right and moving about.
We're all faced with the pressures of daily life, whether it's work deadlines, after-school activities, caring for aging parents, family conflicts, whatever. Stress is totally unavoidable, sure, but it's how we react to stress that determines whether or not our physical health suffers!
With that in mind, Hanover's Employee Support Program will be presenting a wonderful free webinar called "Building Resiliency 101" on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 12 noon and again at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Each session lasts 60 minutes and will give you great tips on how to cope when you're under pressure. Visit www.powerflexweb.com/5002/login.html to register - username optima, password hanover county (2 words).
As a PRL employee, you and your family have access to the Employee Support Program, regardless of whether you're hourly, part time or full time. This wonderful perk is available to you and your household members free of charge and is designed to help you "balance your work, family, and personal lives." ESP sessions are completely confidential. How awesome is that?
We're all faced with the pressures of daily life, whether it's work deadlines, after-school activities, caring for aging parents, family conflicts, whatever. Stress is totally unavoidable, sure, but it's how we react to stress that determines whether or not our physical health suffers!
With that in mind, Hanover's Employee Support Program will be presenting a wonderful free webinar called "Building Resiliency 101" on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 12 noon and again at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Each session lasts 60 minutes and will give you great tips on how to cope when you're under pressure. Visit www.powerflexweb.com/5002/login.html to register - username optima, password hanover county (2 words).
As a PRL employee, you and your family have access to the Employee Support Program, regardless of whether you're hourly, part time or full time. This wonderful perk is available to you and your household members free of charge and is designed to help you "balance your work, family, and personal lives." ESP sessions are completely confidential. How awesome is that?
Monday, February 11, 2013
LiveStrong Y Classes
Hi
Let me tell you about what I've been doing lately to get healthy! LiveStrong classes at the Tuckahoe Y on Tuesdays and Thursday nights for the next three months. These fitness classes are for cancer survivers and sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The classes, which run about three times annually and access to the Y during them, are free if accepted as a participant and limited to about 10 people. We'll be working out in the gym primarily but also doing alittle yoga, swimming, Zumba, etc. I'm trying to get the image from The Biggest Loser TV show of the beginners flying off the end of the treadmill out of my mind!!
Linda Gosnell
Let me tell you about what I've been doing lately to get healthy! LiveStrong classes at the Tuckahoe Y on Tuesdays and Thursday nights for the next three months. These fitness classes are for cancer survivers and sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The classes, which run about three times annually and access to the Y during them, are free if accepted as a participant and limited to about 10 people. We'll be working out in the gym primarily but also doing alittle yoga, swimming, Zumba, etc. I'm trying to get the image from The Biggest Loser TV show of the beginners flying off the end of the treadmill out of my mind!!
Linda Gosnell
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