Science & Outdoors
A week of wellness
The Pointer
ataub878@uwsp.edu
The annual Week of Wellness at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point isn’t over yet. Starting Feb. 16 and ending Feb. 20, these five days, sponsored by the Allen Center are devoted to encouraging a healthy lifestyle.
During the event, students, staff and alumni are able to enjoy a week of free workouts, food, prizes and other services.
The Week of Wellness debuted three years ago under the supervision of Stacey Duellman, the programs and promotion coordinator at the Allen Center. Duellman promotes the week as a way to “celebrate wellness.” She defines the program as “a way for students to become familiar with how to maintain a healthy lifestyle through the programs and equipment offered at the Allen Center.”
“It’s great for people who want to get healthy, but maybe don’t know how,” said Melissa VanWeele, desk attendant at the Cardio Center.
Free admittance to the Cardio Center kicked off the week on Monday, Feb. 16, allowing any student to workout with no charge by simply showing their student ID. The offer ends on Friday.
Free fitness assessments were also available on Monday. Sponsored by the Student Health Promotion Office, these assessments were given from 7-9 p.m. in the Cardio Center. Testing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle endurance, strength, flexibility and body composition, this assessment placed students into specific categories based on performance, with tips on how to improve wellness.
The second day devoted to wellness offered a free Group Fitness Zumba class at the Cardio Center. It lasted nearly two hours, giving prizes to those who completed the class. Prizes included water bottles, sling bags and t-shirts.
Other prizes can be won through raffles available by sign-up at the Cardio Center.
Sophomore Lydia Schultz, who attended the Group Fitness class in last year’s Week of Wellness, said it was demanding, but very fulfilling.
If you still want to get involved, it’s not too late. Free chair massages are available Thursday from 5-6 p.m. in the upper Allen Center. Sign up at the Cardio Center front desk.
Paraffin hand dips, sponsored by Mind and Body Connections, are also available at the upper Allen Center from 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. on Thursday.
Finally, on Friday, Feb. 20, a free stress relief session will take place from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in room 004 of the lower Allen Center.
Health advocate, Lyndsey Genin calls Wellness Week fun and a great opportunity to promote services offered every day, that students may not know about.
