Well, that’s it for another year and like the Y2K thing 13 years ago, the Mayan end of the world thing appears to also have been a bust and we are now faced with having to shovel the driveway, pay off the credit cards and try and lose a few pounds we obtained by chowing down with wild abandon this past few weeks. We are also faced with hearing about New Year’s resolutions or feeling pressured to make some (in my case the pressure is because I need to let my belt out a notch or two) but I have to admit we are closet supporters of resolutions because on the health front we can actually help you achieve some of them.
Qualifying that thought, however, are the usual stats that by Jan. 7 a third will have broken their resolutions and by Valentine’s Day half will have lapsed, closely followed by July 1, where 60 per cent of resolutions will have been forgotten. Apparently, there is a successful five-stage resolution process but you would have to have started it in July. Oh well — just remember we are here to support you for as long as you need or want us, plus we also have some pretty talented instructors and personal training staff that really know their stuff.
We had our last meeting of 2012 here a week or so ago and one question that came up was on the subject of memorable moments this past year. While there were several event-related accomplishments, interestingly enough the conversation seem to always come back to facility patrons and specific successes that they achieved — whether it was renewed health brought about by regular visits, avoidance of surgery by following a regular set of dryland or aquatic exercises, or a noticeable improvement to one’s outlook on life simply by coming and interacting in a social atmosphere. Those are the foundation blocks of why this place is here and the volume of these stories has increased proportionally as the number of people coming here has risen. Those are also the stories that despite whatever type of day/week/year you are having or how close to the fan you seem to be standing sometimes, it reaffirms the fact that you are making a difference to people’s lives in a positive manner and that can carry you for a long time.
From our recreation family to yours: All the best in 2013. We look forward to providing you leisure services over the next year and strive to continuously improve by introducing you to new and exciting ideas, events and initiatives.
Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.