Spring Break
Whitmore wellness aims to empower people
Ryan Fernandez
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: News
The Whitmore Wellness Challenge was about more than just being physically fit, said a campus recreation official.
Kristine Kirkendall, campus recreation's assistant director of fitness and wellness, said the Whitmore Wellness Challenge, now running for a second semester, was about empowering people to make good decisions about their own health and well-being.
"We tried to encourage people to take care of themselves in ways other than just physical - spiritual, social and intellectual, too," she said.
Kirkendall said 100 students, staff and faculty members participated in the challenge, which began Sept. 14 and ended Oct. 25.
The participants, divided into 32 teams, spent six weeks performing healthy activities to win points to increase the rankings of their teams, Kirkendall said.
She said these activities included exercising daily, eating healthy meals, giving out hugs and attending sporting events.
"It was hysterical," said Rachel Vimont, a Student Health Center physical therapist. "It really amused us to have to work for points, but it really kept morale up."
Vimont was the captain of "Chaos," the winning team in this semester's Whitmore Wellness Challenge.
She said students are usually busy with work and their classes so they forget to do simple things that can greatly contribute to their health, such as getting enough sleep, finding time to relax, and flossing their teeth.
"Little things can have a lasting effect," Vimont said. "The challenge gives you six weeks to change bad habits into good habits."
Vimont said the wellness challenge was not about winning, though she said she did enjoy that aspect of the competition.
"It's more about team building and camaraderie, keeping your peers about you," she said. "It was fun getting to work as a team, and it was nice to be egged on."
Senior kinesiology major Hilary Barnes said her team, "Pre-PT Babes," was a great motivator for her own efforts.
Kristine Kirkendall, campus recreation's assistant director of fitness and wellness, said the Whitmore Wellness Challenge, now running for a second semester, was about empowering people to make good decisions about their own health and well-being.
"We tried to encourage people to take care of themselves in ways other than just physical - spiritual, social and intellectual, too," she said.
Kirkendall said 100 students, staff and faculty members participated in the challenge, which began Sept. 14 and ended Oct. 25.
The participants, divided into 32 teams, spent six weeks performing healthy activities to win points to increase the rankings of their teams, Kirkendall said.
She said these activities included exercising daily, eating healthy meals, giving out hugs and attending sporting events.
"It was hysterical," said Rachel Vimont, a Student Health Center physical therapist. "It really amused us to have to work for points, but it really kept morale up."
Vimont was the captain of "Chaos," the winning team in this semester's Whitmore Wellness Challenge.
She said students are usually busy with work and their classes so they forget to do simple things that can greatly contribute to their health, such as getting enough sleep, finding time to relax, and flossing their teeth.
"Little things can have a lasting effect," Vimont said. "The challenge gives you six weeks to change bad habits into good habits."
Vimont said the wellness challenge was not about winning, though she said she did enjoy that aspect of the competition.
"It's more about team building and camaraderie, keeping your peers about you," she said. "It was fun getting to work as a team, and it was nice to be egged on."
Senior kinesiology major Hilary Barnes said her team, "Pre-PT Babes," was a great motivator for her own efforts.
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