The serenity of Lake Oxbow at Camp Kelly lends itself to relaxation and will be a focal point of the Wellness Reboot planned for May and June. Pairing a few sips of wine with nutritional foods is just one way manage stress and connect with one’s inner self
By Rick Hiduk
(Also published in Living Ssuquehanna/Wyoming County Life Magazine)
What better way to celebrate the reawakening of spring than with a rejuvenation of the mind, body and spirit? A five-week Wellness Reboot will be held at Camp Kelly, near Lake Carey, on four consecutive Saturdays in May and a final Saturday in June. Topics will include meditation, healthy eating, stress management, self-awareness and yoga.
Camp director Kelly Langan explained that a ‘relaxation and grounding’ event was held last fall as the camp, formerly known as Camp St. Andrew, began an outreach campaign to the community. “We got a much larger response than we expected for a one-day event,” Langan recalled of the basic meditation session and a hike around tranquil Lake Oxbow. “It seemed there was a great community interest behind wellness and bettering oneself.”
“Many of us desire to live healthier lives but are confused about where to start or what to do,” yoga practitioner and teacher Donna Fetzko offered.
While the Wellness Reboot is geared toward adults who want a healthier lifestyles, Langan noted, “If younger people are interested in coming, there is definitely a place for them here.”
The program, which culminates with a luncheon and a celebration on June 2 of the topics covered in May, is designed to give participants a better understanding of themselves and an idea of how to best apply the lessons they have learned.
“This will set the ground work for what constitutes a healthy lifestyle,” said Langan, “not to render you an expert so you can teach it necessarily, but to develop a strategy that works for you.”
“I believe we all have an inner wisdom of what our bodies truly need for health and well-being,” Fetzko concurred. “Unfortunately, many of us get so caught up in everything we hear and see around us that we do not take the time to listen within.”
She also hopes the Wellness Reboot will serve as the impetus to building a community around wellness – as a group and individuals.
“This will be a lighthearted, fun approach to regaining control and feeling better,” offered Penn State Extension educator Karen Bracey, who will help conduct the May 12 session covering stress management and yoga from 9 am to noon. “We’ll look at what it means to build resilience and coping skills, while using humor and gaining perspective on our individual situations as they relate to stress.”
“The practice of yoga not only helps us improve our health physically but offers us an opportunity to connect with our inner wisdom, to listen to and honor our bodies, and to begin the journey to better health and self-care. Camp Kelly’s Wellness Reboot is a great place to start.”
To register for any or all of the five sessions, log on to www.uncnepa.org/wellness, or contact Langan at 570-346-0759 or klangan@uncnepa.org. A discount of $45 is applied to those who register for all five sessions.
