NEW PALTZ — The State University of New York at New Paltz has decided to capitalized on the title of a movie, “The Road to Wellville,” which was filmed in the region, and use it as the theme for the initial phase of an exciting and new nutrition and physical fitness program for campus employees.
SUNY New Paltz and the College Auxiliary Services (CAS) division received a $2,800 grant from the Occupational Health and Wellness Center of the Kingston Hospital to participate in the Workplace with Heart program. Part of a broader initiative established by the New York State Department of Health, the campus effort will focus on promoting “heart healthy” programs within the work environment. SUNY New Paltz is one of five sites throughout the county that received funding for such programming.
“The Road to Wellville” will commence on September 11 with a brief program and “send-off” at 12 noon and again at 1:00pm at the College Terrace (Restaurant). Joe Owens, faculty emeritus in physical education, will deliver opening remarks before he and others lead participants on campus walks. There will be give-aways for all who join in, including pens, stress balls, stress cards and water bottles, compliments of Kingston Hospital; and beverages furnished by CAS. Trail maps, that indicate mileage between buildings and other campus landmarks, will be handed out, and later circulated around the campus. These maps will allow participants to begin the trail from nearly every building on campus. Community residents may obtain copies of the map by contacting Alan Dunefsky, director of recreation, at 257-3845. Plans also call for the formation of a New Paltz “team” to participate in local walk-a-thon events designed to raise funds to fight against a number of major illnesses.
Throughout the academic year, the Workplace with Heart program will grow in its diversity and feature heart healthy additions to campus vending machines as well as to Wood Company Food Service fare. Also planned is a heart healthy cooking demonstration/taste testing; lunchtime informational programs; volleyball, basketball, and softball tournaments; a recipe contest; and heart healthy cookbooks in the reference section of the Sojourner Truth Library.
On Saturday, October 25, the College will sponsor Save-a-Life Saturday, an opportunity for members of the College and local community to learn CPR through a free adult training program. Additional information about this program can be obtained by contacting the American Heart Association at 338-8517.
The primary goal of the Workplace with Heart program is to make permanent changes to a more healthful work environment. Members of the SUNY New Paltz Workplace with Heart committee are James Dixon, Alan Dunefsky, Barbara Eckert, Cathy Gallagher, Chris Grassi, Harriet Lettis, Nancy Mason, Marda Reid and Jane Timm.
