Yes!  Our RiseVT ‘Show Up Events’ have become popular ways for many to try new things, to meet new people, and to enjoy interesting activities with friends, family members, and co-workers.  The RiseVT team has just posted the calendar of Show Ups for January, February, and March on the www.RiseVT.com website.  There are many free, fun offerings this coming quarter and I hope you will choose to join us at many of them!  Here’s a sampling of what is coming up so you can mark your own calendar and Show Up!

Thanks to the involvement of partners throughout our community, we have twelve free Show Up events scheduled for January.  On, Monday, Jan 8 at 5:15 pm, Michelle Kraus will be leading a free Pilates Show Up at Duke’s Fitness Center in St. Albans.  On Friday, January 12 at 6:15pm, Amanda Hoss will be leading a free Yoga Show Up at the Islands in the Sun Senior Center in Alburgh.  That same evening at 7pm, Kevin Laddison will be hosting a free Dance Social Show Up at City Hall in St. Albans.  On Saturday, January 13, Barbaru Bluto will be hosting a Zumba Show Up at the American Legion in Alburgh.  On Monday, January 15, the Highgate Arena will be hosting an Open Skating Show Up at the recreation facility in Highgate Center.  On Thursday, January 18, Melanie Berthiaume and Cindy Rose will be hosting a Labyrinth Show Up at the Swanton Police Department in Swanton.  On Saturday, January 20 at 9am, the St. Albans Recreation Department will be hosting an Open Gym Show Up in City Hall in St. Albans.  That same day at 10am, Ellen Stanley will be hosting a Cross Country Skiing Show Up on the Rail Trail (Meet at the Opera House) in Enosburg.  On Sunday, January 21 at Noon, Mike Cain will be hosting a Ski, Snowshoe, & Hike Show Up at the 100 Acre Wood in Fairfax.  On Monday, January 22 at 6:15 pm, Jan Sweet will be hosting a Strong by Zumba Show Up at the Abenaki Tribal Headquarters in Swanton.  On Thursday, January 25, Steve and Deb Desrosiers will be hosting a Square Dancing Show Up at the St. Albans Museum’s Bliss Auditorium.  To close out the first month of the year, the St. Albans Recreation Department will host a Nerf Games Show Up in the St. Albans City Hall at 5:30pm on Tuesday, January 30.

Such a wonderful mix of offerings for indoor and outdoor fun that hopefully provides something – and hopefully many things – that you would like to try.  Joining the fun is easy – just show up!  The RiseVT website has directions and additional details.  Plus, you will find the calendar listings for February and March, which include: Fusion Fitness, Tiny Tots Gym, Nature Walk, Family Swim and more snowshoeing, yoga, and Zumba – and an even broader range of towns within northwestern Vermont.  Show Ups are so much fun.  There is no fee and no pressure. The emphasis is on enjoying being active whether you are experienced at something or brand new to it.

I would also like to invite you to complete a very  quick survey about activity levels in our community.  NMC and the Vermont Department of Health work together to support local efforts to support healthy living.  If you are over 18 years of age and live, work, learn or play in Franklin or Grand Isle Counties, please take a moment to answer our brief confidential survey that will help us focus our resources where they can have the biggest benefit. The survey is available online at: https://redcap.med.uvm.edu/surveys/?s=39FLJ9WMWK

Winter can be long in Vermont and it does not mean you have to stay on the couch for months.  Come on out and join the RiseVT team and your friends and neighbors in putting a lot of fun and activity into our lives!  Visit www.RiseVT.com today for more details!

— Jill Berry Bowen, NMC’s Chief Executive Officer