Outreach's fitness program in need of volunteer instructors
Outreach's fitness program in need of volunteer instructors Community Outreach in West Perth is looking to add volunteer instructors to its fitness program, which currently only offers two qualified instructors. The program is open to anyone at the Ritz Manor on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Upper Thames Missionary Church. The two qualified teachers must plan their own schedules better if there are more of them, and the program has always been well attended. It is also offered via Zoom if people prefer to participate from the comfort of their own home.
Published : 2 years ago by Andy Bader in Lifestyle
“I had no idea what to expect and worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up. Not a problem – we all work at our own pace,” she said. “I like to tell people I have never had an uncomfortable moment here. A bonus is that I have made a lot of new friends through this group and one of the other members pointed out that the social part is probably just as important as the exercise.” But according to the Community Outreach program leaders, unless more volunteer instructors come forward, the current manner in which it’s offered is in jeopardy. Community Outreach Wellness Coordinator Maddison Mehring said there currently are two qualified instructors but they generally have four to ease the overall burden and allow the program, geared to those 55-years and over, to operate four days a week, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Upper Thames Missionary Church, a program that’s a little more intense, or level three; and one she leads three days a week open to anyone at the Ritz Manor on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:30-2:10 p.m. which is considered a level two.
In association with the Municipality of West Perth and the West Perth Public Library, a relatively new session has started that takes place Thursday nights from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the community centre to make it easier for people who are unavailable during the day can also attend. Ideally, the qualified instructors can plan their own schedules better if there were more of them.
Mehring said luckily they’ve had enough volunteers to operate it for years and never had to reach out for help until now. “We’ve had wonderful volunteers for a number of years but unfortunately we’re losing a couple,” she said. The necessary training is provided, but it is a lengthy process, she admits, as it’s a four-day course to complete the competency test from the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging.
Heather Weir, a nurse who retired six years ago, completed the course a year later and has enjoyed the classes she leads. “I’ve been instructing this exercise class and never looked back. It’s a wonderful program that the Community Outreach offers,” Weir said, and would recommend the program to anyone wanting to enhance their physical and social wellbeing. The structured one-hour exercise program consists of six components to music but the beauty of it is that no matter your level of fitness, you work at your own pace. Another volunteer instructor, Linda Saunders, called the exercise group an important part of her life for about eight years. “When I show up to lead a class there’s always cheerful conversation and appreciation that we’re keeping each other healthy,” she said. “It’s a win-win situation and I’m always glad we have the opportunity to be there. It’s a wonderful way to meet people in the community.
“Volunteers are needed and who knows, you might get more out of it than what you put in.” Mehring said the program has always been well attended, anywhere from 15-20 people per session, primarily women but there are men on occasion, she said. Attendance drops off during the summer as people are outside more, but it does increase in the fall and winter as the weather changes. Mehring said the program is also offered via Zoom if people prefer to participate from the comfort of their own home, especially when the snow flies. What makes the program so popular, not to mention the fellowship and the exercise element, is that there is no cost to the participant, Mehring said, and there’s no registration, just drop-in. A signed liability form is required, however.
Topics: Fitness