Exercise mentorship program draws more than 400 participants

With more than 400 people signing up and plenty of positive feedback, the "Adopt-A-Fellow Slug Exercise Mentorship Program" at the Wellness Center has been declared a success.

“I have had many people tell me in person that this program has given them energy that they haven't felt in years,” said Ryan Andrews, Wellness Center director. “I have also heard from quite a few about weight loss.”

Under the program, regular exercisers were asked to adopt their nonexercising coworkers or friends on campus and help them establish a regular physical activity routine. (See earlier Currents story for details.)

“We had 421 total participants sign up--255 students and 166 staff/faculty--and thus far have had about 280 turn in their logs,” Andrews said last week.

“One of the big reasons why we were successful is because it was supported by so many groups," he said. "Each college contributed funds for the student portion of the program, along with Counseling and Psychological Services. Staff and Academic Human Resources funded the majority of the program for faculty and staff.”

All participants received Odwalla bars when they reached 10 sessions of physical activity and t-shirts when they reached 20 sessions. Miriam Bellows, a student at Crown College, won the grand prize, a mountain bike, which also was donated by Odwalla.

This e-mail from a staff member was a typical comment on the program, Andrews said: “Thanks for this opportunity to improve my health, reduce my stress, and enhance my concentration at work. I know many others on campus who feel the same way.”

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