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From the Centre: Rec centre has success with fitness monitor program

It is always good to talk about successes and while I have found it seems my success always occurs in private, and failure in full view, one area we have seen some good results from has been in the fitness track area with our fitness monitors...

It is always good to talk about successes and while I have found it seems my success always occurs in private, and failure in full view, one area we have seen some good results from has been in the fitness track area with our fitness monitors.

Fitness monitors are volunteers that work in our fitness area in a variety of roles with the main responsibility being greeting people as well as general cleaning. Some of the other duties include customer orientations to the cardio machine and enforcing the rules and regulations of the fitness centre (“Excuse me, sir: unless you want to take your toes home in a baggie, we require you to wear clean indoor shoes on the treadmill”) — you know, the common sense type regulations.

Prior to the fitness centre opening, we stole the idea of fitness monitor volunteers from our colleagues in the Trail Aquatic and Leisure Centre who have had good results for quite a while in their fitness gym. The bottom line here is that you volunteer for a three-month period with a minimum of four hours per week and in return you get a three-month facility pass. Depending how many monitors we have at a given time, those four hours per week can be fairly flexible or broken up. Hey, we’re really nice people up here.

Some of the small print or details they say really fast at the end on the commercial would include:

•you must be 17 or older (we have had many senior volunteers);

•you will have to have an interview for suitability (morose, antisocial people need not apply);

•you have to have a current first aid or CPR certification (you should probably have one, anyway); and

•you must commit to volunteering for at least a three-month period (way less than enlisting in the Armed Forces).

It is interesting to see the different reasons fitness monitors volunteer. Some do it because it is a more cost effective way to get a facility pass, some do it as a lead in to a more physical lifestyle, others do it because they can meet and interact with new people, some younger people are pursuing a career or education in the fitness industry, and, finally, others just want to volunteer in their community.

Any way you weigh in on the subject, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. Contact Tia Wayling, our head fitness technician, for more information or current availability.

Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Communty Complex.K