At the stroke of noon on Dec. 30, the temperature in Boulder was a brisk 19 degrees. No matter: 14 residents aged 12 to over 80 layered up to join in the Jefferson County Health Department’s first annual winter wellness event.
“It’s kind of out of the ordinary, and we thought it would be a good way to bring in the new year of wellness,” Jefferson County Health Department Supervisor Pam Hanna told the hardy few before they set off on their courses. Participants could choose a distance—a mile, 5k, 10k or 15k—and a transport mode—running, walking, biking or skiing. The most important thing, Hanna said, was that they were there.
Officially billed as the Wandering Wellness Wonder Fest, the event was the brainchild of the department’s AmeriCorps worker, Nic Weitzman. Weitzman, who has a background in physical therapy, has been a competitive runner for 20 years. When she first arrived at the department on a one-year assignment beginning Nov. 1, Weitzman wanted to organize a turkey trot, according to Hanna, but there wasn’t enough time to put it together by Thanksgiving. But Weitzman was persistent about hosting a run; she said it promotes many areas of health: “Physical therapy, mental health, physical fitness. Physical fitness is a part of mental health.”
The department ultimately decided to hold the wellness event at the end of December. Hanna said it was a good opportunity not only to increase awareness of the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan, but to put on the Jefferson County Health Department’s first event in almost two years.
“We haven’t met because of COVID, and an outdoor event felt safer,” Hanna said.
Both Hanna and Weitzman were pleasantly surprised that so many people participated in the event despite the cold. “I was expecting two or three [participants],” Weitzman said. “I would’ve been happy if we got five,” Hanna remarked.
Weitzman set up all the routes and ran them during the event to make sure no one got lost. And it was her idea to ask participants to bring white-elephant gifts in lieu of a registration fee. Some forgot to bring gifts, but the health department supplied extras and encouraged everyone to take home a gift regardless of whether they brought one.
Despite the cold, spirits among participants seemed high.
Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder Ginger Kunz and co-worker Stephanie Colletti came over during their lunch break to walk the 1-mile route for exercise before heading back to the office. “We’ve been eating a lot of chocolates … and cookies. And we sit down a lot,” Kunz said.
Boulder resident Jim Heikes echoed her sentiment. “It’s a fun reason to exercise in winter,” he said, noting that the alternative is appealing but not all that healthful: “It’s really easy to sit down with a book and just sit there, read a couple chapters, watch a movie, read a couple chapters, watch a movie.”
For some, like Boulder resident Ed Hedlund, the event provided an opportunity to take their winter wear out for a spin. “It’s a good chance to test out your long johns before snowshoeing or something,” he said.
In addition to the Jefferson County Health Department, Lewis & Clark County’s Suicide Prevention Coordinator Jess Hegstrom and Public Information Officer Damian Boudreau set up a table at the event with materials offering information on suicide prevention. Whitehall Public Transportation Service Manager Paula Hippert, Lead Driver Susan Poff and Boulder Driver Matt Strozewuki also came to get the word out about their services in Boulder.
The Wonder Fest went well enough, Hanna said, that the department may continue it next year.
