By: Jordan Johnson, West Staff Writer
On April 11, 2017, the Galleria of Tri-C’s Western Campus was full of people learning how to improve their lifestyle by making healthier choices at the semi-annual “Exercise is Medicine” event. Held every April at the Western Campus and every November at the Eastern Campus, this free event has been inspiring students, staff, and members of the community to make an effort in staying healthy since 2014.
This event is sponsored by Tri-C’s Sport and Exercise Studies Program, and their partner, the American College of Sports Medicine, to increase awareness of the benefits of exercising and the consequences of inactivity. In the words of Holly Clemens, the director of the event, “We are really trying to promote health and wellness, [and] overall healthy lifestyles for the members of the college community.”
The event consisted of over twenty-five tables, each showcasing an important aspect of healthy living. Some tables were run by members of the Sport and Exercise Studies Program, where they offered health assessments such as resting blood pressure, bicep curl strength, and vertical jump height, as well as advice on how to improve the participants’ results.
Other tables offered activities such as massages from Tri-C’s Massotherapy Program, healthy food samples, and roller skating in the campus’s gym. The rest of the tables contained outside vendors such as companies like Pepsico, Dannon, the Vitamin Shoppe, and Curves. Others were fitness establishments such as the North Royalton YMCA, Tremont Athletic Club, and Fitness Together. As an incentive to visit as many tables as possible, attendees were given a card which would be stamped each time they visited a table and could be entered into a drawing to win a prize.
“Exercise is Medicine” has historically drawn an impressive crowd and this year was no exception. The event accommodated over three-hundred participants including students, staff, and members of the community alike. When asked about his favorite part of the event, Brandon, a student of Tri-C, replied that he enjoyed the vertical jump the most. Daryll, who conducted the bicep strength test was asked, he responded, “It’s the whole event. People don’t realize how important exercise is so I enjoy being able to encourage them to be the best them they can be.”
In the words of Dr. Robert Butler, president of the International Longevity Center, “If doctors could prescribe exercise in a pill form, it would be the single most widely prescribed drug in the world.” This event does not offer exercise in a pill form, but it does offer creative and enjoyable ways for the participants to get moving.
For more information, contact Holly Clements at (216) 987-5070 or visit tri-c.edu.
