Published: June 27, 2008 11:23 am      

Women put wellness first at retreat

PRINCETON — Women were dancin’ on the lawn at Camp Creek State Park Tuesday.

As Women in Search of Empowerment and the WVU Women’s Health Center of Excellence hosted the Women on Wellness retreat, more than 50 participants got their groove on with Zumba classes, took strolls around the park in walking sessions and worked out the kinks in their shoulders on massage tables.

“I’m just floating and joining everything I can stick my foot in,” 84-year-old Ruth B. Harrison declared after she relaxed during a massage from Princeton Health & Fitness Center experts and shook more than her feet in the Zumba class conducted by Beth Stallard Jackson. “I’m putting myself first today. I’m just going to enjoy every phase of this presentation, because it’s been a wonderful experience.”

Funded by the Robert C. Byrd Foundation, the event made its Mercer County debut through sponsorship by WISE, West Virginia University National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health (CoEWH), Bluefield Regional Medical Center, Princeton Community Hospital, and Princeton Health and Fitness Center.

CoEWH Executive Director Betty Critch said the Camp Creek retreat was intended to help women keep body, mind and soul in balance. At the end of the day, each participant had the opportunity to leave with a personalized, step-by-step strategy to build healthier, happier lifestyles “and a renewed energy to focus on improving her health through exercise, nutrition, mental health and chronic disease management.”

In addition to sessions on stretching, stress reduction, massage, yoga, Zumba, walking, nutrition and more, the day-long event included health screenings for a variety of conditions, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and more.

WISE Director Connie Saunders was one of the driving forces behind the retreat, and like the women she encouraged to attend, she went through the screenings herself.

“I just had my blood pressure done. Now, I’m doing my sugar, and I’m going to go up here and talk to her about osteoporosis,” she said, pointing over her shoulder.

Meanwhile, Faye Seago and Debbie Rogers chatted during a break after their Zumba session.

“It makes me want to do that. I want to go home and do that,” Seago said. “It’s like dance, instead of exercise.”

Rogers, who supervises local Experience Works offices, brought her entire office staff to the Women on Wellness retreat to emphasize the importance of looking after their own health. She couldn’t praise Critch, who introduced the early sessions, enough.

“She genuinely excites you to be a woman and encourages you to use the power and strength inside you,” Rogers said. “It’s OK to take care of you.”

Dr. Joe Ellington was slated as a guest speaker during lunch, advising women on signs, symptoms and prevention methods for cancer.

Saunders said she couldn’t have been happier with the turnout and experience.

“This has just been such a giving experience, from the presenters, to the hospitals and the sponsors. And, there has been such a learning that has come from the giving that it’s just amazing,” she said, expressing her appreciation for everyone who helped make the event happen.

She also pledged a “bigger, better” event next year.

“We put this together in two months. Imagine what we could do in a year,” she said. “This makes a difference. We have women from all directions — north, south, east and west, and we’re going to do this again.”

— Contact Tammie Toler at ttoler@ptonline.net.