ATHABASCA — If you go out for a walk today, try to find a big surprise.
The Aspen Primary Care Network (APCN) in Athabasca has come up with a Wellness Box Challenge to help promote active living as a temporary replacement for their annual Muskeg Creek Run, said APCN exercise specialist Jon LeMessurier.
“Once we decided just back in January, that unfortunately with COVID we're unable to host the run again – there's just too many uncertainties – I thought I don't want to leave the community high and dry,” he said. “How can we still show that we're supporting them, that we're thinking of them? So then we came up with this idea of this wellness box, where it's just a way to continue to encourage people to get outside and be active within the guidelines.”
Whether going solo, or with family or COVID-safe friends in your cohort, you can check out the APCN Facebook page for clues as to where the box is located each month.
“It's just supposed to be a fun way to get people to get outside for not only their physical health, but also their mental health as we know that's so important during COVID,” said LeMessurier. And yeah, just a way to get out and give back a little bit (with) different goodies or treasures in the box, and you just take one if you find it.”
LeMessurier said there will be water bottles, pedometers, Muskeg Creek Run t-shirts and other items to choose from.
“I gave a hint that you can see Jewell's ballpark from this location. In what was the third hint, I may have put that it's possibly next to a gazebo-type cabin,” he said.
Look for the Aspen PCN Wellness Box posts on Facebook — facebook.com/aspenpcn — to get more hints as well as when the box has been moved, he added.
“It's important for us; we want to show that we're still here for the community to support them in all different ways,” said LeMessurier. “The big thing behind the Muskeg Creek Run was to always try and promote the community getting together and being active outdoors. So, this is a way that instead of the run, we want to say that we're still here for you guys, and we're thinking of you and our way to give back.”
LeMessurier said the program will run at least until summer and will be re-evaluated pending any changes to COVID protocols at that time.
