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Conflict statement: The following opinions are those of the author. He does not receive payment or in-kind gifts to represent any medical equipment, products, or manufacturer.

Newswise Declining health and fitness are commonly known to accompany spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D). Physical deconditioning and weakening of the upper limbs make essential daily activities such as wheelchair propulsion and body transfers more difficult to perform, thus challenging the activity and independence that persons with physical disabilities require throughout their lives. During the past few decades, attention has also focused on so-called cardiometabolic risk factors, including five critical health hazards: overweight/obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and lipid abnormalities. Evidence now suggests that these health risks appear soon after discharge from initial rehabilitation, tend to cluster, and in doing so represent more severe health hazards. They are also more challenging for stakeholders with SCI/D, their caregivers, and health care professionals to manage within the first year of living with a SCI/D and after that throughout their lifespans.

Current health guidelines designed for persons with SCI/D all recommend incorporating physical activity to a level permitted by their ability. Outdoor exercise is an option to fulfill this need. However, it may expose the individual to temperature extremes and uneven rolling surfaces that risk a fall from the wheelchair and ensuing injury. Thus, recent evidence suggests that home-based exercise is preferred for those with SCI. Home-based exercise also circumvents exercise barriers involving transportation, lack of physical access, and exercising in facilities that serve, have staff trained for, and use equipment designed for persons without a disability.

Equipment that satisfies the broad health needs of persons with SCI/D is challenging to find. Selected specialized exercise systems have used surface electrical stimulation to initiate the contraction of paralyzed muscles located below the injury level. These muscle contractions can be sequenced under microprocessor control to create purposeful movement such as cycling, although generally with poor motor efficiency and coordination. These electrically stimulated devices often exclude persons with injuries below the T10 spinal level and require special medical clearance and ongoing supplies such as electrodes and wire leads. Those with injuries and disorders that spare their sensation often find the electrical current uncomfortable, if not painful. While generally considered safe for home use, there is a need for electrode placement before each session. Risks of use include lower extremity fracture or bouts of autonomic dysreflexia. Importantly, there is limited transfer of lower extremity electrically stimulated exercise to benefit upper limb conditioning. It has long been clear that voluntary contractions of muscles above the injury level result in higher physical conditioning levels, and better risk reduction for cardiometabolic disease.

The arm crank ergometer has been a longstanding staple of upper extremity exercise for those with SCI/D. Essentially a table or platform mounted arm cycle, the device typically uses a rudimentary forward propulsion motion against resistance, with the upper limbs propelling the device while 180 degrees out of phase with one another. Few arm crank devices allow adjustment of the axis of rotation, meaning there is one set length for motion. Even fewer devices allow reverse propulsion against resistance. The continuous forward cranking imposes imbalanced forces that condition and tightens the anterior shoulder and chest while not similarly benefitting the posterior shoulder. The imbalance of the anterior and posterior shoulder actions may represent a cause of shoulder pain for persons with SCI/D. As the upper limbs of persons with SCI/D are essential for maintaining daily activities, the pain caused by cycle ergometry may exceed the benefit of physical conditioning.

To meet the complex needs of upper extremity conditioning without the hazards imposed by standard arm ergometry, the newly upgraded and technologically advanced Vitaglide better serves as an exercise mode after SCI/D. The device is a reciprocating ergometer with the arms moving near horizontally instead of in a cyclical pattern. The movement of the limbs are balanced between a forward pushing motion on one side of the body and a pulling action on the other side. In this way, the device maintains the anterior and posterior muscle balance for conditioning of the chest, shoulders, and back. Its features also permit synchronous rowing where both limbs move together in the same forward and backward direction. Unlike a cycling ergometer, the resistance for each arm can be set independently and spans work intensities that will develop both endurance and strength. The side arms allow the user to determine their preferred range of exercise motion instead of the device.

The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami Health System has used the Vitaglide for several years as part of our comprehensive SCI/D lifestyle program and has been preferred by our program participants, so much so that they seldom use our cycle ergometers. The individualized resistance adjustment permits us to select optimum exercise intensities when the strength and endurance of the arms may be unequal. We have also found it easier to customize exercise programs and maintain records of performance incorporating time and work performed. Our ultimate goal is to encourage health-sustaining physical activity after SCI/D without injury.

By:Mark S. Nash, Ph.D., FACSM, FASIA Associate Scientific Director for Research, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

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Voluntary Exercise after Spinal Cord Injuries: Equipment and Process that Develops and Sustains Fitness and Health - Newswise

Less than 25% of people who start a diet and exercise routine stick with their plans for more than a month, but its a little tougher to skip your jog if your dog is waiting for you by the door. Dogs make wonderful walking and exercise buddies. Partnering with your dog when implementing healthy habits can add motivation and will make you both happier and healthier.

A balanced diet and regular exercise are extremely important for pets, just like they are for humans, and many of the health benefits of a healthy lifestyle are the same, saidDr. Arielle Markley,a veterinarian in theCanine Physical Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine CenteratThe Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center. Your pet can help keep you accountable because your plan is no longer just about your own health, but also theirs.

Health problems tend to occur more often with overweight dogs. From knee injuries and arthritis issues to chronic illnesses like diabetes, excess weight can adversely affect your dogs health.

Forming a partnership with your dog could be the motivation you need. There are many creative ways to get active with your dog, such as dog yoga, dog agility, and couch to 5K programs, but start slowly as with any new program. Just as someone shouldnt run a full marathon without training, the same holds true for dogs. Its essential to work them up slowly, especially if your dog hasnt been highly active.

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Dr. Markley says, when starting a diet and exercise plan with your dog, just rememberPAWS:

Making positive, healthy changes in your life isnt always easy, but if you say to your pet, We are going to go out and walk every day, then youre doing it for them as well, saidLiz Weinandy,registered dietician atThe Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Making that commitment can go a long way toward keeping that promise and reaching your goals.

Before getting started on any rigorous diet or exercise program, talk to your doctor and veterinarian. Its important to make sure that there arent any other health conditions that might keep either of you from your goals and have a tailored plan to your individual needs.

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Your Dog May be the Partner you Need to Stick to Your Health Plan - The Bark

While staying safe at a gym took on a whole new meaning during the pandemic, if you're thinking about getting back to a fitness regimen this summer, you'll be wise to consider the more pedestrian dangers involving treadmills and bench presses especially if you're over 50.

Exercise-related visits to the ER topped 107,000 for those 50 and older in 2020, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and that figure is slightly lower than usual due to fewer people exercising during the pandemic. And speaking of treadmills: Around 20,000 people in the U.S. are treated in emergency rooms for injuries from this piece of equipment alone each year.

"Doing exercises the wrong way can be worse than doing nothing at all, says Jeremy James, a chiropractor and creator of an at-home fitness program designed for older adults or those with preexisting injuries.

The good news? It's not difficult to stay safe and reap the plentiful health benefits of exercise (which include helping you avoid injuries from falls after 50 by building up leg muscles and improving your balance). You just have to keep your focus and follow a few key tips. Here's your first one: Wear that red safety clip when you're on the treadmill to stop the belt if you start to slip or stumble.

Here are other smart ways to avoid common mistakes that can lead to injuries.

It's good to be fired up about working out, but don't let that motivation push you too far, too fast. Often, people jump right into workouts that are not meant for beginners, and they haven't developed the musculature, particularly core strength, to do it with proper form, James says. This is especially risky with strength training, where getting sloppy with proper form to squeeze out a certain number of reps can result in injuries such as rotator cuff tears and lower back strain.

James advice: Only use the amount of resistance or weight and number of reps that you can do with perfect form. The last two to three reps should be challenging, but not so challenging you have to break form.

While stretching (the kind you do standing mostly still and flexing a calf or hamstring) can be done at any time during or after your workout, there is no evidence that it helps prevent injuries. What you should do instead? A warm-up.

As opposed to stretching, a warm-up involves movements similar to your workout but done more slowly. The purpose of a warm-up is to increase blood flow to the muscles, improve tissue elasticity and stimulate the nervous system, says Lauren Shroyer, a certified trainer and senior director for product development at the American Council on Exercise. Think of it as slowly accelerating into your workout. A warm-up is important for avoiding injury, especially as we age and our soft tissue becomes less elastic."

That doesn't mean you can skip stretching altogether. Just save it for after your warm-up (when tissues are warm) or the end of your session. Stretching can reduce the buildup of lactic acid in muscle tissue, which contributes to lingering soreness and aches. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends stretching each muscle group for at least 60 seconds.

"There is no shoe that can prevent injuries, but there are definitely plenty that can cause them in the wrong person, says Matthew Klein, a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist and founder of Doctors of Running. Shoes that are too narrow up front (the area called the toe box) can hold your feet in positions that may predispose you to a bunion. As you age, the risk of soft tissue injuries that affect areas like the calf and achilles tendon also increases, he adds.

In general, Klein says to look for a shoe that was designed for whatever activity you're planning to do most. Basketball shoes, for example, are designed with side-to-side movements in mind, while running shoes typically are not. Buy from a specialty store where employees have been trained to help guide you (REI is one of the few big-box retailers that does this, Klein says). Because your feet swell as the day goes on, shoe shop in the afternoon or evening for the best fit; you should have half to a full thumb's width between end of toe and end of shoe, he notes.

Excerpt from:
5 Ways to Avoid Exercise Injuries After 50 - AARP

CrossFit also spawned innumerable businesses, as members started ventures in everything from insurance to nutrition. The Ohio-based gym-equipment manufacturer Rogue Fitness was launched to meet the demands of the new CrossFit gyms; it grew to employ hundreds of people. RxBar, which makes energy bars with ingredients that hew to CrossFits nutrition guidelines, sold to Kelloggs, in 2017, for six hundred million dollars.

CrossFits ascent was not uninterrupted. In December, 2005, the Times published a piece titled Getting Fit, Even if It Kills You, which documented a CrossFit athlete who gave himself rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which muscle cells die from overexertion, resulting in possible renal failure and death. Glassman told the Times, It can kill you. Ive always been completely honest about that. In fact, CrossFit had chosen as a mascot a muscular puking clown named Uncle Rhabdo.

CrossFit members embraced a narrative of redemption through physical suffering. I heard from many adherents that the daily practice of hard work spilled over into their everyday lives, making them better people, or at least capable of setting goals and achieving them. But, interspersed with aspirational photos, the company posted sexually suggestive images on Facebook, among them images of a woman with her legs spread while climbing a rope, and a woman who tripped and momentarily had her head in position for a sexual act. Photos you wouldnt post of your friends, basically.

Coaches and gym owners with flair or specialized knowledge became independently famous. But former employees told me that, whenever someone grew too big for Glassmans comfort, he banished them. (Glassman denies this.) After a former CrossFit trainer named Mark Twight began working with Hollywood celebrities, including the cast of the 2006 movie 300, Glassman accused him of stealing his intellectual property.

Wolf, who had a public altercation at a CrossFit seminar with a favored Glassman employee, a former Navy SEAL named Dave Castro, was fired. You have to kowtow and not let your star shine too brightly, Wolf said, in 2013, of Glassman. Hes always had this tendency toward incredible kindness, but he also has this rattlesnake intensity and cruelty. Gym-goers were undeterred, however, and by 2015 there were eleven thousand affiliate gyms. Forbes estimated CrossFits revenues at a hundred million dollars, and wrote, CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman has turned the fitness industry on its head. Hes done it, I think, by making CrossFit a mirror image of himself. Thats not entirely true; as many have pointed out, Glassman is less Adonis and more high-school gym teacher, who, at sixty-four years old, walks with a limp from a childhood bout of polio and a gymnastics accident years later.

Once you brand and sell fitness, you have to try to prove your version is better than all the others, Brad Stulberg, a performance coach who has taken heat online from the CrossFit community about his health-and-fitness writing, told me. In CrossFits efforts to set itself apart, its most pious members defended the brand with a mocking litism that was modelled by Glassman.

Until CrossFit, the dominant accreditation body in the fitness industry was the National Strength and Conditioning Association. In 2013, the N.S.C.A.s Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published a study about CrossFits efficacy. Out of fifty-four people who undertook a CrossFit program for ten weeks, the research claimed, nine had failed to finish, owing to injury.

The study quickly spread through the fitness world. Outside published a piece titled Is CrossFit Killing Us? and with the subtitle The CrossFit backlash is in full swingled by a long list of injured participants. The article touted the studys sixteen-per-cent injury rate.

Glassman and his community were incredulous, and angry. In their nearly ten thousand gyms, they had never seen such injury rates. CrossFit sued the N.S.C.A. for false advertising and unfair competition. The discovery process revealed that management at the N.S.C.A. had essentially told the researchers to add injury data where there was none. In December, 2019, a court found in CrossFits favor and ordered the N.S.C.A. to pay the company four million dollars in sanctions. (The N.S.C.A. declined to comment, except to say that the matter was settled without any admission of liability.)

All physical pursuits come with risks. Of my personal obsessions, running has uniquely gruesome statistics. The numbers are imprecise, but its often estimated that between forty and eighty per cent of runners will injure themselves in a given year. In my experience, these estimates are likely low. But this does little to diminish the elegance of such a simple and effective mode of exercise.

I was injured during my second time in a CrossFit gym. In an off-season effort to regain some foundational strength I had lost after a decade of ultra-endurance racing, I paid to work with a trainer. He began by testing me. Baselines are important in the gym, and essential in CrossFit. We started by doing jump squats with a weighted seven-foot barbell across my shoulders. I didnt notice that the weight was lifting off my upper back at the top of the jump and coming down on my spine when I landed. Neither did the trainer. The following day I awoke to neck pain and a bruise. More than seven years later, I cant sleep on my stomach, lest I risk a day of not being able to turn my head.

My next foray into CrossFit was more fruitful. Down the street from me in Salt Lake City, where I was living, was a gym run by a former college-football player, Tommy Hackenbruck, who had a vibrant CrossFit community. Hackenbruck, a hulking yet gracious man, coached me to proper form and then provided me with workouts to do on my own. A combination of regular CrossFit classes and Hackenbrucks individual programming worked well for me, and I became considerably stronger, more agile, and more confident in my athletic abilities that off-season.

On June 5, 2020, a co-owner of a Seattle affiliate, Alyssa Royse, posted to her gyms Web site an e-mail exchange she had with Glassman. She had challenged management about what she considered their moral ambiguity... in the face of both COVID and the massive social unrest the US is now reckoning with, and added that her gym was likely to de-affiliate because of it.

I sincerely believe the quarantine has adversely impacted your mental health, Glassman had replied. Youve let your politics warp you into something that strikes me as wrong to the point of being evil. I am ashamed of you.

The next day, during a Zoom call with a group of affiliates, an owner in Minnesota asked why corporate headquarters had remained silent during the national unrest over racial injustice. Were not mourning for George Floyd. I dont think me or any of my staff are, Glassman said, according to a recording of the meeting published by BuzzFeed News and reviewed by The New Yorker. Can you tell me why I should mourn for him? Other than that its the white thing to do. He then mentioned a conspiracy theory about Floyd, who he said was murdered in an effort to silence him over his involvement in a counterfeit-money ring, citing inside information from the F.B.I. in the affiliates Minnesota neighborhood.

Later that day, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation tweeted that racism and discrimination were critical public health issues that demand an urgent response. Frustrated with what he saw as the I.H.M.E.s role in shutting down the economy, which Glassman believed disproportionately harmed minority communities, he responded, Its FLOYD-19.

Within forty-eight hours, a reported three hundred CrossFit boxes had pledged to de-affiliate. Some of the brands famous athletes denounced Glassmans comments and said that they would withdraw from the upcoming CrossFit Gamesthe companys annual competition to crown the Fittest on Earth. Reebok, which was nearing the end of a ten-year Games sponsorship deal, announced that it would not renew its contract.

On June 7th, one of CrossFits longest-tenured employees, Nicole Carroll, called Glassman and resigned. I didnt see a way forward that I believed in anymore, not on the mission level, but on a leadership level, she told me. I cant align with Greg anymore.

Two days later, Glassman stepped down as C.E.O. and announced his retirement on the CrossFit Web site. He handed over the chief-executive role to Dave Castro, his longtime lieutenant. But many people in the CrossFit community think that Castro can be as abrasive as the founder himself. Commenters on social media called Glassman a racist and Castro (who is Mexican-American) complicit. They demanded that Glassman sell the company to save CrossFit. I equate being a racist with being stupid, Glassman told me.

Soon, the Times published accusations of workplace sexual harassment by Glassman. Among the claims were an account of a former employee who was paid by Glassman in lieu of a sexual-harassment lawsuit, a lewd Wi-Fi password used in the San Diego CrossFit office (as well as in Glassmans home, according to his ex-wife), and an environment in which the founder demeaned women, openly assessing whether hed have sex with them.

Glassman denies any accusations of sexual harrassment, and explained to me that there was a sexually charged office environment that was fucking one-hundred-per-cent consensual in all directions. Glassman added, of the way in which he ran the business, Im proud of the way everyone was treated and the way I treated everyone. I have no regrets.

A couple of months after our workout, I met Roza at the new CrossFit offices, a block from a Whole Foods Market in north Boulder. A row of standing desks is flanked by a kitchen and a mini-gym outfitted with new Rogue equipment. A conference room has a view of Mt. Sanitas, a popular peak named for the sanitarium, an early health resort, that once sat on its lower slopes.

In appearance, Roza is everything youd expect from the chief executive of a global fitness brand. Hes muscular, with a shaved head; he drives a Tesla and has a subscription to The New Yorker but admits that hes too busy to read it. A self-described math guy, Roza attended the University of Michigan, then worked in management consulting for Bain & Company and in the music industry before matriculating at Stanford.

His introduction to CrossFit is a familiar story. Caught up in the reinvigorated interest around long-distance running caused by the best-seller Born to Run, he hired a coach to get him to his goal of a three-hour marathon. He tried ChiRunning and ran in barefoot shoes, but ended up injured.

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Does CrossFit Have a Future? - The New Yorker

Supplier diversity programs have become familiar components of overall business thanks to heightened awareness around the benefits and advantages of developing more sustainable and inclusive supply chains. However, according to a report from R3, the idea that supplier diversity programs are a brand or PR exercise is still common.

There are also assumptions that lead to the thinking that working with smaller companies is a risk, and that people from minority and diverse backgrounds might not be able to deliver reliable service. Others bemoan the amount of financial resources and time required to manage supplier diversity pools.

The truth is the value of supplier diversity programs runs deep into multiple facets of a company. Yes, it is important to overall corporate image and brand reputation, but it is also important from the perspective of talent management, regulatory compliance, sustainability in the supply chain (as we have seen from the pandemic), and competitive advantage, said the report.

Taken from this perspective, a supplier diversity program is not just about procurement, and this needs to be communicated to stakeholders so they can understand the benefit of the success of such an initiative to their brand, business, and the communities in which their employees live and work in.

In a recent ANA survey (2021), 69% of US marketers said they had a supplier diversity program for marketing. This is up from 40% in 2020. As marketing procurement teams incorporate supplier diversity into existing agency and vendor partnership processes, unique advantages and challenges have emerged. For example, working with diverse suppliers encourages companies to adopt more efficient procurement way of working. But maintaining the supplier pool and measuring short- and long-term performance demands specialisation, and an ability to apply demographic data in a meaningful way.

In the US, 85% of companies have dedicated supplier diversity programs, and approximately 24% of diversity spend from those programs go to advertising and marketing. Categories of spend include agencies (most common, with highest spend), and companies delivering production, consulting, printing, research, media, and promotion services. In the next year, marketers are expecting to spend more of their diversity budgets on production companies (vs. agencies), and media companies like television and radio stations.

How can we begin the process in Asia?

When asked about developing such a programme in Asia, a spokesperson from R3 elaborated that developing a marketing supplier diversity program in Asia is as much about listening as analysing data.

You need the numbers to measure performance, but data never tells the full story, especially in this context. Brands need to use both quantitative and qualitative information in decision-making about who they work with, she said.

Agencies also need to be reminded that consumer-facing communications need to have a balanced portrayal of gender, ethnicities, and roles. For example, following research that found 40% of women do not identify with their portrayal, Unilever has committed to stop stereotyping women inits adverts with their key brands including Knorr, Dove, Cif, and Surf. Agencies need to get on board with such initiatives very quickly, she added.

To get the initiative rolling in Asia, she added marketers can start with the following steps:

Photo courtesy: 123RF

MARKETING-INTERACTIVEs Adland's Diversity & Inclusion Index recognises Asia's change-makers who are pushing the boundaries and cultivating a culture for tomorrow.Nominate case studies of your D&I initiatives for workforce in Asia today!

Related articles:#ExplainIt: Diversity in the Asian context [Video]Opinion: Facing the uncomfortable truth about diversity and inclusion

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Stop thinking of your supplier diversity programmes as just another PR exercise - Marketing Interactive

Mike Cawood July 20, 2021

FAYETTEVILLE Razorback All-American and former NBA first-round draft pick Ronnie Brewer and Arkansas alum Jon Blake have been added to the mens basketball staff, Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman announced.

Brewer was named recruiting coordinator and Blake will serve as assistant director for basketball administration.

Brewer, the 14th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz, spent 10 seasons playing professional basketball (2006-16). Brewer played three seasons (2006-10) with the Utah Jazz and played in the 2008 NBA Rookie-Sophomore Game. He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in January of 2010. He then signed with Chicago prior to the 2010-11 season and spent two seasons with the Bulls. Over the next two seasons, Brewer played with the New York Knicks (2012-13), Oklahoma City Thunder (2013), Houston Rockets (2013-14) and a second stint with the Bulls (2014). He ended his professional career playing one season (2015-16) with the Santa Cruz Warriors.

He scored 3,940 points in his NBA career with 1,427 rebounds and 828 assists. Highlights include him playing and starting a career-high 81 games while averaging a career-high 13.7 points, in 2008-09 with the Utah Jazz and playing 81 games in 2010-11 to help the Chicago Bulls post the best record in the NBA (62-20) and reach the Eastern Conference finals.

After his rookie season in the NBA, he started the Ronnie Brewer Foundation in 2007 to support communities in at-risk situations while promoting education, physical fitness, and the importance of working together as a team. He additionally organized annual summer basketball camps for the youth in Fayetteville and has created jobs in Farmington with his Brew Crew Transportation Trucking Company.

In 2009, Brewer was the recipient of the University of Arkansas Silas Hunt Legacy Award, which recognizes African Americans for their significant contributions to the community, state and nation.

After retiring from professional basketball and in addition to his Foundation and trucking company, Brewer has worked at Fayetteville High School with the boys basketball team and a communications teacher as well as coaching the Woodz Elite U16 AAU basketball team. Brewer has also put his communications background to use by serving as host on sports radio talk shows in South Florida and Northwest Arkansas.

During his playing career at Arkansas, Brewer was a 2006 All-American, a two-time first team All-SEC selection (2005 and 06) and a two-time All-District pick (2005 and 06) by both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Brewer ranks 16th on Arkansas all-time scoring list with 1,416 trailing his father and fellow NBA first-round pick Ron with 1,440 points in his three seasons with the Razorbacks. He led the Razorbacks in steals in each of his three seasons, including leading the SEC in 2006 with 83, and ranks eighth on the schools all-time steals list. Brewer additionally led the Hogs in scoring, rebounding, field goals made and free throws made in both 2005 and 2006 while leading the team in assists and 3-point field goal percentage in 2005.

Born in Portland, Ore., Brewer grew up in Fayetteville and was inducted into Fayetteville High Schools Hall of Greats in 2017. While with the Purple Bulldogs, he was selected Mr. Basketball in Arkansas as a senior in 2003. He broke Corliss Williamsons conference scoring record as a senior and averaged 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists that season.

Although he only played three seasons for the Razorbacks (2004-06), Brewer received his degree in journalism from Arkansas in 2015.

Blake, a Springdale native and Arkansas graduate, spent the past season as associate director of football operations at Southern Cal. Before that, he was an operations assistant with the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and a graduate assistant in football operations for the Razorbacks for three seasons (2016-2018).

He was a membership advisor with the Fayetteville Athletic Club in 2015-16 after serving in the video operations department with Arkansas football team for the 2014 season. He worked in production at KNWA-TV and Fox 24 News for three years (2011-14).

He earned his bachelors degree in sports management from Arkansas in 2015, as well as masters degrees in sports management (2017) and physical education teaching and coaching (2019).

Blake played football at Har-Ber High School.

For more information on Arkansas Mens Basketball, follow@RazorbackMBBon Twitter.

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Men's Basketball Adds Ronnie Brewer and Jon Blake - Arkansas Razorbacks

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WINSTED For over a year and a half, due to the Covid-19 pandemic the Winsted Senior Center building, located at 80 Holabird Avenue, was vacant and quiet.Community lunches, fitness programs, bingo games, and all of the other programs normally held at the Senior Center were all halted.In the meantime, the Senior Center offered Grab and Go lunches for area seniors at the centers parking lot.As the pandemic started to wane, the center started to re-open back in April with some of its programs.Its great that were starting to get people in here again, Senior Center Director Jennifer Kelley said to The Winsted Phoenix. I was a little apprehensive at first because I thought that I didnt think people would come. I am in contact with senior centers across the state. A lot of them are slowly opening, but a lot of people are not coming because they are still afraid. But in Winsted, a lot of the older adults have been vaccinated, so they are all confident to come back out again.Kelley said that, at first, the center reopened with in-person exercise programs.First, the seniors were exercising with masks on, she said. Even with the masks on, you could still see everyone smiling and happy.

Kelley said that programs and events at the center are slowly being reintroduced, with bingo and card game events restarted in mid-June.Fitness classes are still being ramped up, with the center now holding seven fitness classes a week.Both in-person and Zoom fitness classes have a place, but I do enjoy in-person classes the most, Senior Center member Carole Fox said.

I think the Senior Center is great because the community needs this place, chair yoga and tai chi teacher Tina Puckett said. It brings people together and its great to see people back together again.The Senior Center still offers fitness classes via Zoom in conjunction with its in-person classes for residents who do not yet want to travel.

Kelley said that the center is still waiting a little while longer before it starts in-person lunches again, but will continue to offer Grab and Go lunches daily in the parking lot.She added that the center is looking to offer trips for seniors in the fall.The previous tour company that we were using went out of business during the pandemic, she said. But we are offering three trips with a different company right now, including a trip to Atlantic City in October.Residents over the age of 55 can join the center for $6 a year.For more information about the Winsted Senior Center go to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wsc.page

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Doing Good for the Neighborhood: Winsted Senior Center getting back to classes and socialization - The Winsted Phoenix

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The renovation and addition to thePhysical Fitness, Athletics and Wellness (PAW) Center at Penn State DuBois received final approval from the Penn State Board of Trustees today (July 15). This$17.3 million project will transform the current Multipurpose Building on campus into a state-of-the-art facility with a focus on athletics, health and recreation.

The gymnasium and fitness center will be updated to provide students and student-athletes, as well as employees, a space to work toward staying healthy. Additional practice space as well as offices for athletics staff also will be housed within the updated building. New heating and air conditioning systems will be installed for improved efficiencies.

The newly renovated facility will be a focal point for the campus to provide students and student-athletes the opportunity to gather, exercise, practice, and host larger campus-wide events, said Ken Nellis, Penn State DuBois athletic director. The renovations will be a recruitment and retention piece for the campus as we continue to strive to provide an excellent college experience for all students who call Penn State DuBois home.

Originally constructed in 1966, the building currently houses the physical therapy assistant program and the wildlife technology program, in addition to athletics and fitness-related spaces. These academic programs will be relocated to existing space on campus in the Smeal Building that also will receive updates to best serve the needs of these programs.

This project has been long-desired, and we are obviously very pleased that our students will have a top-notch facility in which to practice, play and gather, said M. Scott McBride, recently retired chancellor and chief academic officer at Penn State DuBois.

Ten percent of the project has been funded by philanthropic giving and an additional 6% of funds will come from the Student Initiated Fee.

Construction on the PAW Center and the Smeal Building renovation are both scheduled to begin in August 2021. The wildlife technology and physical therapy assistant programs are scheduled to move into their new home in January 2022 and completion of the PAW Center is expected at the beginning of the fall 2022 semester.

Last Updated July 15, 2021

Excerpt from:
Trustees approve project to renovate, expand PAW Center at Penn State DuBois | Penn State University - Penn State News

COURTESY OF THE BACON FREE LIBRARY| Wicked Local

Welcome back! Bacon Free Library is now open for browsing with no reservations required.Stop by from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, and from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays for curbside pickups only. Curbside pickup will continue to be offered during all of our open hours.

Contact us anytime and someone will get back to you: call 508-653-6730 or email bfl@minlib.net.

LIBRARIAN ON CALL: Looking for your next book to read? The BFL staff is here to help find you recommendations! Visit the website to fill out a short online form, and receive by email a list of suggestions, or suggestions for curbside pickup!

FRENCH WRITING CLUB: Weve adapted our conversation club into a writing club! French stories and articles will be sent to participants who will read them and submit reviews in French. These will be corrected and sent back in order to improve French writing skills. If you are interested in participating, email bfl@minlib.net and Graziella will follow up with you.

IN-PERSON, OUTDOOR STORYTIMES: 10 a.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. Join for storytime on the grounds behind the library. No registration required. For everyones safety and comfort, families can each choose a hula hoop to sit in, placed 6 feet apart. If there is rainy weather, the storytime will be moved to Zoom.

ONLINE SUMMER STORYTIMES: 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9:30 a.m. Thursdays. Join for Zoom storytimes. Visit the librarys website to register for the weekly Zoom links.

OUTDOOR SUMMER SHAPE UP: 11 a.m. Wednesdays, June 16-July 21. Join Laila Vehvilainen, certified fitness instructor, for a low-impact, functional fitness class on Wednesday mornings on the lawn outside the BFL. Laila will guide the group through a total body workout, beginning with moves to strengthen core and upper and lower body muscles, followed by balance practice and gentle stretching.No registration required. Bring hand weights and an exercise mat. Chairs will be available for those who wish to participate but who are unable to stand for long periods of time. Note: This class will not be held in inclement weather.If weather conditions are uncertain, call the library to find out if class will be held.

BILINGUAL STORYTIME: 6 p.m. July 21 and 28 and Aug. 4 over Zoom. Would you and your nia or nio like to habla Espaol? Ven a biblioteca come to the library(virtually, that is). Exposing children to a second language aids their developing minds, according to the Cornell Language Acquisition Lab.Through familiar stories and songs, Miss Fran and Seorita Susan will help families to learn un poco espaol.This three-part program is not intended to be a formal class, but rather an opportunity to learn a few common Spanish words. Visit the library's website to register and receive the Zoom link.

NONFICTION BOOK CLUB: 10 a.m. July 24 over Zoom. Join for a virtual discussion of "Summer World: A Season of Bounty" by Bernd Heinrich. Copies are available at the library. Visit the library's website to register and receive the Zoom link.

TAILS AND TALES WITH DIANE EDGECOMB: 10 a.m. July 26 outdoors. From folktales about adventurous monkeys to a true tale of a neighborhood squirrel that drives everyone nuts, master storyteller Diane Edgecomb will deliver stories about four-legged capers. Edgecomb has been featured on NPR and is the winner of the ORACLE award for Storytelling Excellence in the Northeast as well as five Storytelling World awards.This program is supported in part by a grant from the Natick Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Mass Cultural council, a state agency. Visit the library's website to register for this outdoor program.

CINEPHILE MONDAYS: 4 p.m. July 26 via Zoom. Watch a movie at home and then join film history and media studies Professor MV for a virtual discussion on the last Monday of the month. This meeting will be a discussion of "The Passion of Joan of Arc," available as a DVD or on Kanopy for a few libraries. Visit the library's website to learn more and email glesellier@minlib.net to register for the Zoom meeting.

BOOK CLUB: 7 p.m. July 27 over Zoom. This month, as part of the Natick Community Read, the club will discuss "How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals" by Sy Montgomery.Copies available at the library. Visit the library's website to register and receive the Zoom link.

MUSIC FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY TWO OF A KIND: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 2 outdoors. Bring along a blanket, some chairs, and maybe a picnic dinner to the lawn for family tunes. Two of a Kind is a musical duo specializing in high-energy, interactive performances for children and families. David and Jenny get audiences of all ages involved in the show through singing, movement, sign language, lyrics-on-the-spot, puppets,and more.

THE HOOPOE SHOW, MIME AND MAGIC: 10 a.m. Aug. 3 outdoors. Bring a blanket or chair for this special event on the library lawn with Hoopoe the Clown. Hoopoe blends silent pantomime comedy, movement illusions, sleightof hand magic tricks, and balloon wizardry to create an original vaudeville show. Audience volunteers will be invited to join him on stage to assist with illusions. Chris Yerlig has been performing and teaching around the world for over 20 years. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Bacon Free Library.

MYSTERY BOOK CLUB: 1 p.m. Aug. 5 via Zoom. Join for a discussion of "A Curious Beginning" by Deanna Raybourn. Contact the library to arrange pickup of the book, or borrow digitally. Emailcstirling@minlib.netto register and receive the Zoom link.

SPECIAL STORYTIME TEDDY BEAR PICNIC: 10 a.m. Aug. 9 outdoors. Bring a stuffed teddy, a blanket and some snacks (optional), and join on the lawn for a special story time.

ALL-AGES TRIVIA NIGHT ON THE BFL LAWN: 6 p.m. Aug. 9, outdoors. For this all-ages trivia event, team up with family or friends to test your knowledge of animals and stories about animals. Each team will record their own answers, so no need to race to buzz in before others. At the end of each round, the host will review the answers and track scores. This will be the library's first in-person, outdoor trivia event on the grounds of the BFL. Bring along chairs or blankets to get comfortable, and maybe some dinner or snacks, as well.Registration is required. Visit the library's website to register.

SPECIAL STORYTIME WILD ABOUT HORSES: 6 p.m. Aug. 11 over Zoom. From the small Icelandic horse to a large Cheval Canadien, horses are found around the world and come in many colors, patterns and sizes. Join for a few stories about horses, before an informational segment presented by naturalist, educator and photographer Joy Marzolf. See photos and videos of horses and learn about the different types and what makes each of them special. Visit the library's website to register and receive the Zoom link.

HISTORY BOOK CLUB: 11 a.m. Aug. 12 over Zoom. Join for a virtual discussion of "Isaacs Storm" by Erik Larson. Copies available at the library, or borrow digitally. Email mking@minlib.net to register and receive the Zoom link.

BIG BUBBLES WITH MR. VINNY THE BUBBLE GUY: 10 a.m. Aug. 17 outdoors. Join for a program on the lawn with running, jumping, and bubble-popping. Mr. Vinny will bring a hand-made, giant bubble wand to create floating blobs. Kids can chase and pop while Mr. Vinny tells jokes and answers questions.

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Programs at the Bacon Free Library - Wicked Local

The USTA Foundation's Rally to Rebuild'' campaign kept National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) ... [+] chapters across the U.S open during the Covid-19 pandemic. Here a tennis player hits a forehand at the 2018 NJTL Excellence Teams Cup hosted at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) in College Park Medicine. (Photo: Courtesy of the USTA Foundation)

Tennis has caused quite a racket during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, in a good way.

According to a Physical Activity Councils Participation (PAC) report, 2020 saw a 22% upwards bounce in tennis participation in the U.S. Over 21.6 million people played the sport last year with over 6.7 million being either completely new players or those returning to the sport after having been away for a while. The number of new players courted (close to 3 million) was 44% higher than the baseline number for 2019.

Last December, I covered for Forbes why tennis has remained a good option for people seeking to rally with both physical and social activity during the topsy-turvy-spin of the pandemic. Unless you are doing something horribly wrong, tennis should not involve tackling, wrestling, body-checking, or any similar close physical contact. Thus, you can play tennis while maintaining social distancing as long as you replace the end of game handshake with something like a racket tap, a you complete me look while forming the shape of a heart with your fingers, or just a really intense stare. At the same time, tennis can give you a good workout, getting most of your body moving with the possible exception of your ears. And the sport can be quite social. After all, playing tennis in complete silence with absolutely no conversation would be a bit unusual.

Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia and Amanda Anisimova of the United States tap their rackets together ... [+] after their match during the UTR Pro Match Series Day 2 on May 23, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Following new COVID-19 safety guidelines, players were not permitted to shake hands or hug after their match. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic did serve notice about how tennis can help keep people fit and interacting with each other, even when nature drops us a deuce. So this may be a smashing opportunity for a tennis revival in the U.S. As a result the USTAFoundation, which is the charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association Incorporated (USTA), is serving up theRally for the Futurecampaign. The goal is to string together $20 million over the next three years to support more than 250 National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) chapters across the U.S.

Rally for the Future is the single largest fundraising campaign inUSTAFoundation history, said USTAFoundation President Kathleen Wu. Consider it a service return to the Rally to Rebuild'' campaign that raised over $6.5 million in 2020 to support NJTL chapters that got slammed by the Covid-19 pandemic. This funding helped keep all NJTL chapters open in 2020 with 209 chapters providing at least four weeks of tennis programming. None of the places needed to be shuttered, said Wu.This showed us that we can do so much at an even bigger scale.

Wu explained how The Rally for the Future campaign will help further grow NJTL network chapters and help them provide free or low-cost tennis and education programming for over 160,000 under-resourced youth across the country. In 1969 Arthur Ashe founded the NJTL Network to reach low income and underservedcommunities and give everyone access to tennis. Many of these communities have been the hardest hit by the pandemic.

She emphasized how such tennis programs can not only address the physical inactivity epidemic that the U.S. is facing but also provide life skills education. In fact, the NJTIL Network served as center courts for different communities struggling during the pandemic. For example, Addison Staples, Executive Director of Aces in Motion (AIM) located in Gainesville, Florida, described what happened when schools shifted to online classes in 2020: With the help of all of our staff, we devised a comprehensive after-school program, which mirrored the exact same format as the one we had before but everything online. We still offered 1:1 tutoring, we still offered socialization, games, exercise, mental health counseling so we had a mental health counselor on-staff that would meet with students to talk about their struggles and challenges with the pandemic, we had cooking lessons, guest speakers, and much more that was all offered five days a week.

The USTA Foundation's "Rally for the Future" campaign aims to further expand a range of experiences ... [+] for youth that go beyond playing tennis. (Photo: Michael Bonfigli- USTA College Park)

When schools started returning to in-person classes, but not all students felt comfortable doing so, AIM set up 20 to 25 student learning pods. Over 90% of our students are 150% below the poverty level which meant that when the pandemic hit, some students were forced to help out the family with work, rent, and food, Staples added. The other thing we did since a lot of people were in fear of paying their electric bills, rent, and food, we partnered with other organizations to deliver food to families, we paid for internet on an as needed basis, we handed out laptops to the students in our program and we paid for internet for those who couldnt pay for it.

As another example, Dave Higaki, Executive Director of East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring (EPATT), mentioned how USTA Foundation funding helped them, expand our tennis programming. Once we were able to get back on the courts and the local government officials but tennis as one of the acceptable activities as an ideal social distancing sport, we actually expanded our tennis program from 10 hours a week to about 35 hours a week because what tennis did is that it met kids social and emotional needs and it got them off of their computers and Zoom and into engaging with their peers and much needed social interaction and exercise.

The Rally for the Future Campaign will not only support NJTL Chapters in general but also bolster several key programs for the Chapters. One is the Return the Serve presented by CHASE program, whereChase will provide educational and learning opportunities focusing on financial health.Another is the NJTL Essay Contest presented by Deloitte for which NJTL participants will write essays answering thought-provoking questions. A third program is the USTAFoundation College Scholarship Awards. A fourth will be the Student-Athletes/Excellence Program supported by American Express, which will select student athletes with high potential to succeed at the collegiate and professional levels.

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic may have offered tennis in the U.S. a break point, a key turning point. After all, it wasnt too long ago when Merlisa Lawrence Corbett wrote a 2013 piece for The Bleacher Report entitled Why Is American Tennis Dying? As you can imagine, the word dying is not positive unless you are talking about dying to play or dying your pants. Despite the growth of tennis in other parts of the world, there was the perception in the U.S. that tennis was not a sport for the masses. In fact, finding a pair of real tennis shoes in some shoe stores became as hard as finding an alpaca in a night club.

However, all of that may be changing. With the pandemic stripping the cover off of many problems in our the U.S. such as physical inactivity and income inequities, tennis may have found its sweet spot. It could serve as a sustainable way to get kids and adults from all backgrounds moving more again.

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Tennis: 22% More Participation In 2020 With Covid-19 Pandemic, Whats Next - Forbes

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