Nine awesome campers joined Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports staff and volunteers for the first week of C.O.R.E. Connections at Vermont Adaptive—a new five-day program that emphasizes whole body health and includes lifestyle analysis, goal setting, nutrition, local farm-to-table initiatives, personal fitness abilities, mindful activities, live creative art, music sessions, adaptive yoga, and guided breathing exercises. Participants in the first week enjoyed hiking Pico, cycling on the Castleton Rail Trail, making gluten-free pizzas with farm-to-table ingredients from a local farm, and more. The week concluded with a fun family barbecue and celebration of accomplishments at Pico on Friday, July 3, and participants are now encouraged to stay active and involved on a regular basis with sports, fitness and wellness.
This new program is made possible and supported by the Bowse Health Trust, a department of Rutland Regional Medical Center. In its inaugural year, the week-long program is held from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily, and was offered for one week in July.
The second session is Aug. 3-7, reservations are required. Additional weeks will be added this winter and continue into the future. All ages and abilities are welcome. The programs begin at Vermont Adaptive’s permanent headquarters at the Andrea Mead Lawrence Lodge at Pico Mountain. Day trips to various recreational locations are included in the week’s activities.
“Each week emphasizes whole body health,” said Megann O’Malley, the program’s coordinator. “Activities include lifestyle analysis, goal setting, nutrition, local farm-to-table initiatives, personal fitness abilities, and mindful programs like creative art, music sessions, adaptive yoga, and guided breathing exercises.”
The goal is for participants to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and then incorporate those habits into their daily lives. Other activities, which will be determined based on schedule, transportation, weather, and participants’ needs, may include adaptive canoeing, kayaking, outdoor hiking adventures, therapeutic horseback riding, cycling, swimming, games, and more. Transportation to off-site locations is provided.
“As funding becomes available, we hope to launch this program statewide,” said Erin Fernandez, executive director for Vermont Adaptive. “There may be flexibility in the dates, groups of 10 or more should inquire to schedule an event.”
For more information visit www.vermontadaptive.org.
