Earth Day/Spring Fling In Sharbot Lake

Apr 24, 2014

To celebrate spring, Earth Day and the completion of the second round of eight-week seniors’ fitness classes at the medical center in Sharbot Lake, organizers held a special fitness and potluck event there on April 22. The event was attended by close to 50 local seniors and it included Zumba classes led by guest instructor Tim White, pole walking, and a celebratory potluck lunch in the center’s common room.

Charlene Feakins, who is one of the occupational therapists at the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team (SLFHT) began gentle, intermediate, and vigorous fitness classes for seniors shortly after she began working with the SLFHT staff in December 2013. Feakins and occupational therapist Stephanie Lackey teach the classes, which take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays and include cardio, balance and strength training exercises. The classes have proved very popular and are ideal for seniors at all fitness levels as well as for those who might have specific health or mobility issues.

The Spring Fling included fundraising that will help staff purchase exercise bands for their ongoing programming, and local businesses also contributed. The Treasure Trunk made special gift donations that were handed out at the event and the Sharbot Lake Pharmacy also made a cash donation to help organizers purchase equipment for the classes. Available to guests were complimentary DVDs of one of Charlene and Stephanie’s 45-minute fitness classes that was filmed by Edie Cairns.

Feakins and Lackey will be kicking off their new four-week Spring Fit Bit seniors classes beginning on May 6 and running through until May 29. Also to be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the classes will focus on summer fitness activities that participants can do at their homes. Activities will include aqua fitness, meditation and more.

Tuesday's event was the second special event put on by staff at the SLFHT, proving that the classes are continuing to grow in popularity with local seniors. Feakins said that was due to a number of factors. “For one, seniors feel very safe here at the medical center and enjoy being affiliated with the staff at the SLFHT. They know that when they are here they have direct access to the doctors and nurses upstairs. We are also able to offer a lot of health education as part of our programming. We have held talks on nutrition, flu shots, Lyme disease, and more, which is something that not everyone can offer. Stephanie and I have also aimed to modify the classes so that we can include those who may have specific health issues.”

What Feakins did not mention is the fun and camaraderie that are a big part of what makes these classes and events so popular and well attended. Anyone interested in signing up for the Spring Fit Bit classes can contact the medical center at 613-279-2100.