Last week, on March 22nd, Red River College announced two new support services as part of the Healthy Minds Healthy College initiative aimed at enhancing mental health programming for students, staff and faculty.

The announcement coincided with a broader awareness-raising event, in which TSN’s Michael Landsberg — one of the faces of Bell Let’s Talk Day — brought his #SICKNOTWEAK talk to RRC.

L-R: Breanna Sawatzky, Mental Health Coordinator; Laureen Janzen, Manager, Counselling and Accessibility; Michael Landsberg; Adam Taplin, RRC Students’ Association President

Recording Available

We’re happy to make available the recording of the presentation, filmed by eTV.

Prizes

In addition, we had some awesome prizes available to those who were engaged by either:

1. Tweeting using #LandsbergAtRRC
2. Subscribing to the Wellness blog
3. Asking a question live or via eTV

Here are your prize winners:

If you have won a prize, please be in touch with Breanna at blsawatzky@rrc.ca to arrange pick-up. Congratulations to all winners and thank you to all who participated in person, over live stream, and on Twitter.

The Get Movin Challenge Winners for 2017 were announced in the Cave today. For the entire month of February, staff and students at RRC met the challenge of reaching 7,000 steps per day. Three separate prize categories were made, with entry into each level’s draw based on the amount of days with 7,000 steps reached. As the prize winners were announced, folks also enjoyed a pancake breakfast put on by the RRCSA, with proceeds going to the Food Bank. Thanks to everyoneattending today, and all of those who participated in the Get Movin Challenge, we already look forward to next years Challenge!

Bronze Level Winners (min 10 days)

Rebels Pack Winners: Dennis Korabelnikov; Lynn Gibson; Chad Smith; Samantha Feal; Debra Wutke; Tracy Luedtke; Ray Hoemsen; Laureen Janzen; F. Rick Pizzi; Penny Rawson; Roberta Mack

Yard Game Winner: Lynn Thompson

Lawn Chair (provided by Great-West Life) Winner: Erika Skaftfeld

Beach Umbrella (provided by Great-West Life) Winner: Leslie Ternowetsky

Yoga mat (x2) Winner: Marie Graff and Lauren Waples

Cooler basket (provided by HUB STRATA) Winner: Derek Reykdal

Silver Level Winners (min 15 days)

Athletic Therapy session Winners: – Riann Ritchot and Cynthia Alles-Parasidis

$50 Gift Card to Jane’s Restaurant Winner: Lana Neufeld

1 Free Rec Services Fitness Class Winner: Karen Di Pietro

Saje Wellness Diffuser with Oil (valued at $100) Winner: Hellen Pollard

1 Pair Snow Shoes Winner: James Slade

$100 Golf Dome Gift Certificate Winner: Diane Brown

Photoshoot (valued at $175, provided by Lindsay Rowan) Winner: Patrick Griffith

Gold Level Winners (min 20 days)

$200 Thermea Spa Gift Certificate Winner: Sean Audet

$200 Visa Gift Card Winner: Faye Bychuk

$200 Float Calm Therapy Centre Gift Certificate Winner: Maria Turla

$200 Sport Chek Gift Card Winner: Lindsay Allan

Door Prize Winner

2 Pack of Manitoba Moose Tickets Winner: Michelle Johnson

The Wellness Committee’s Mental Health Subcommittee has arranged two wellness walks as part of the Get Movin’ Challenge. Those who are involved in the Get Movin’ Challenge ae trying to log 7,000 steps per day, through a variety of activities, although you don’t have to be signed up for the Challenge to come out.

The wellness walks will be great opportunities to log some steps, while getting fresh air and connecting with friends and colleagues. Students, staff, and faculty are welcome. There is no need to register.

The Plan

We’ll be meeting at noon. Everyone is welcome (students, staff, and faculty). After a short teaching on mindful walking, we’ll head out together for a 30 minute walk, logging roughly 3000 steps. Mindful walking is not a fancy or complex idea; it’s simply the practice of being aware of your experience as you walk.

After the walk, we’ll gather together, enjoying some fair trade tea and hot chocolate, courtesy of the Wellness Committee.

Why a Wellness Walk?

We know that being active is great for our physical and mental health. Outdoor, mindful walking with friends leads to many health benefits, including better mental clarity, a boost in positive emotions, and improved self-esteem. Taking a break from studying or sitting at your desk, getting out for movement, sunlight and fresh air will actually make you more productive over the course of the day. So, come out and join us!

When & Where

NDC

Date: February 28th

Meeting Location: The Cave Lounge

Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm

EDC

Date: February 27th

Meeting Location: Roblin Centre Cafeteria

Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm

*We’d like to send a special thanks to Dayna Graham and Debbie Donato for their help in coordinating the EDC walk.

Congrats to our Week 1 Get Movin Prize Winners!: Pat Wherrett and Kristen Dohan!

Kristen writes:

I’m a nursing student at the college and if it’s one thing I’ve learnt, you have to keep physically and time  (which is tough to do with and time busy nursing schedule) so what my boyfriend  and I since starting this challenge together do is a sequence of exercises after to supper to help us digest our food. We do 3min of running in a spot ten jumping Jack’s and 200 abdominal reps of various exercises. It’s a fun thing we do together to try and stay physically active during our busy school schedules.

 Thanks for helping us get active!!!

While Pat shares a picture of her working hard on the elliptical alongside a furry friend!

Thanks to the RRC Bookstore and Great West Life for donating these weeks prize packs! Thanks to Pat and Kristen for sharing their Get Movin Challenge pics. We encourage participants to share theirs as well to enter for more great prizes!

Click Here for more information on the Get Movin Challenge

We know that physical appearance, including the shape and size of one’s body, is of much concern in popular culture. We don’t have to look far before finding ads, editorials, and images encouraging us to change our bodies in some way. They tell us to Lose weight! Tone your tummy! Shrink your thighs! Remove unwanted body hair! and Get rid of wrinkles!

These messages, among other factors, contribute to the development of body dissatisfaction and even eating disorders. Eating disorders are chronic, serious mental health disorders that drastically impair one’s ability to function in life and cause major emotional and physical distress. Although there are effective treatments for eating disorders, prevention is a priority.

About The Body Project

The Body Project is a body-acceptance program that helps college students resist cultural pressures to conform to the ideal standard of female beauty and reduce their pursuit of unrealistic bodies. The Body Project is supported by more research than any other body image program and has been found to reduce onset of eating disorders.

The program is meant to be offered in 4 one-hour sessions, which include facilitated discussions, activities, and homework assignments. A peer-reviewed long-term efficacy trial found the following:

“…participants in the…intervention showed a significantly lower risk for onset of clinically significant eating pathology relative to assessment-only controls (6% versus 15%), which amounts to a 60% reduction… These results suggest that for every 100 young women who complete this intervention, approximately 9 fewer should show onset of eating pathology” (Stice et. al. 2008).

RRC Invited to Facilitator Training

The College, along with Women’s Health Clinic and University of Manitoba, has been invited to take part in a two day facilitator training so that we can offer The Body Project to students. Four staff are set to attend, but we need students to join us and train as peer facilitators.

Training Details

Below is our flyer with some details as to how a student would get involved:

We appreciate your help in getting the word out to students who may be interested in this opportunity!

Breanna

Red River College Students’ Association (RRCSA) has partnered with the College’s Healthy College Healthy Minds initiative to bring students and staff more opportunities to de-stress, learn about their mental health and join the mental health conversation. This week long series of events, held at both Notre Dame and Roblin Campuses, offers a wide array of activities for both staff and students to participate in including:

-Paint Night
-Meditation and Yoga
-Speaker Series
-Music
-Therapy Dogs
-Mental Health First Aid Training
-and more activities!

Please view the Thrive Week Guide below for times, dates and a full listing of all activities.

Notre Dame Campus Thrive Week Guide

Roblin Centre Campus Thrive Week Guide

RRC Slow Pitch is back again on June 9^th at John Bloomberg. The annual event has become a fan favorite of things to do to participate in the college community. It has grown and morphed into a place where you can stretch out your legs, get some sun on the face again and reconnect to some familiar faces.

Many people have many different reasons to come out and I’ve noticed they all seem to fit so well together. Some people come who of have played before, or haven’t played in years, who have never played or just want to be a part of the team. It seems to work so well. A single team could be over 20 plus participants with only needing about half that to play.

When I get asked to talk about active living benefits my mind automatically goes to how “I should do more sit ups” or “I should put down this cake.” I feel a lot of our ideas about things we want to change or improve on are seen from the negative. Who is this voice? I know some people did not sign up for slow pitch in the past because they thought they couldn’t play, not good enough or didn’t know how to play. After enough time of still wanting to participate, they come and see the environment and they find themselves trying a new sport, playing in some of the games or just bringing in a chair and cheering on their team. I find for myself active living is becoming less about the harsh judgments of how I think I see myself and if I belong, and more about the acceptance of who I am and where I’m at. If I’ve come away with anything from this event, it is not because I feel the need to have to step up to the plate with a bat but to step up to myself to realize I am the only limiting factor to my experience. That when I accept myself as I am, then others also tend to accept me. This event has shown me people don’t care how far I can hit a ball but that I am perfect just as I am and I can be as I wish to be when I just let myself show up.

Yes, of course doing a few arm throws or jog around the bases are good. You don’t have to worry about the cake because we won’t serve any, but what about active living as an inside job first? Find the doubter, remove all doubt. Working on finding yourself and seeing that you belong anywhere you want to belong. That you just being you, is the role on the team we are waiting to fill and you might find yourself perhaps doing far more then you could’ve imagined.

Click here for the registration form; http://blogs.rrc.ca/rebels/intramural-special-events/

Registration and payment is being taken at the cashier’s office and you can register as a team or as a single person. Registration deadline is June 3^rd at noon and is only $15.00 per person. This will book the facility as well as provide you with a lunch. Any registrations after June 3rd will be $20.00 per person. So come on out and give it a try anyway you want to.

Mario De Negri

Women and Weights

Are you a female that wants to start a fitness regime but don’t know where to start? Does the idea of learning a bunch of new equipment intimidate you? Are you already active but want to bring more focus into your workouts? You are not alone! Join in this 4 week session to become more familiar with the gym setting. Together we will discuss training myths, where to start, benefits of exercise, and learn more about gym equipment. Bring an eagerness for a lifestyle change and lot’s of questions!

Week 1 – classroom setting
Week 2 – gym walkthrough learning about various equipment
Week 3 + 4 – workout

Instructor: Amanda Pilloud

NDC- 4 Sessions

Wednesday’s April 20 – May 11 12:00-12:45PM

EDC- 4 Sessions

Wednesday’s May 18 – June 8 12:00-12:45pm

About the Instructor: Amanda is a certified yoga instructor and personal trainer. With thirteen years of ballet, years of curling, hiking, biking, marathons and exercising, Amanda is no stranger to physical activity. Wanting to share her passion for movement with others Amanda completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training through YYoga, followed by her 300 hour yoga teacher training in India. She has attained her Personal Training certification to coach people in a one on one setting.  You can expect from her sessions; encouragement to move to your full potential, a focus on body alignment, a chance to calm your mind from the stresses of daily life, challenging sessions that match your ability and a quirky sense of humour.

To Register: contact Cole Skinner @ coskinner@rrc.ca or 2397. Participation is Free, however limited spots available. Participants are expected to attend all 4 sessions.

With the wonderful idea and motivation set in place by The Wellness Committee with the February’s Wellness Get Movin’ challenge, office C517 actually took it “one step” further and created an Office Challenge, with a collective monthly goal of 2 000 000 steps. We had a wonderful response to our “steppin’ challenge” and we are now seeing that we have underestimated the energy and determination of our office mates. What started out as asking each of our 12 members to maintain an average 5800 steps per day for the month, has turned into us now witnessing daily postings of 10 000 to 20 000. Oh, we are a competitive bunch!

The first week was quite exciting and we had a few laughs with all the “trash talk” and even the thought of competing against each other. In the end, we decided that next year we will expand our group idea and maybe try to compete against other offices, or even if each member entered a small donation to start and the combined winner at the end of the month would have the total donated to a charity of their choice. So many ideas for next year…but all I know now is that I watch our team mate’s eyes when they first arrive in the morning scanning the board, and excitedly write in their numbers before even removing their jackets. It’s fun, it’s exciting and it has definitely brought our team closer together.

BRAVO to C517, not all our numbers are in for the first 11 days, and we are well on our way to meeting our goal!

We may have to raise that bar another 2 000 000….

Thank you to all RRC students and employees who dropped by and participated at our ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ Wellness Event last week at NDC and EDC!

The ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ theme was evident by the interaction and participation at our various stations. Over 50 people relaxed at the Adult Colouring station and many took a coloring sheet back with them to finish their artwork! We received rave reviews over the tasty cookies and hot chocolate – what a nice treat on a cold winter day!

Our guest Marc Forrester, from Winnipeg Insight Meditation Group, enjoyed sharing his knowledge! 64 students and employees indicated an interest in finding out more about meditation.

The Therapy Dogs and owners were a special treat. The smiles on everyones faces during their interactions speaks volumes as to the benefits we gain from being around these lovely animals.

There was a renewed interest in what Lifeworks – the RRC employees Employee and Family Assistance Program – has to offer. We navigated the pages within the Lifeworks.com website to find interesting articles, information and tips on a diverse number of topics including quitting smoking, child care information, Will kits, finance sections, where to call to speak with a consultant or counsellor. Click here to access the LifeWorks website.

Look for the LifeWorks posters over the campuses too!

The Wellness Committee will donate 3 books to the Library – The Path of the Yoga Sutras; The Relaxed Mind and The Kundalini Yoga Experience.

Stay tuned for more Wellness Events including the ‘Get Movin’ Challenge’ for the month of February.

Finally, Congratulations to the prize draw winners!

‘How to Meditate’ books – Paul Brady (NDC) & Judyta Szacilowski (Roblin Centre)
Adult Coloring Books – Gurpreet Kaur (NDC) & Virginia Wark (Roblin Centre)

Thanks for your participation! The Wellness Committee

Calm mind brings inner strength & self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health – Dalai Lama