By Morgan Taylor, Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Youth Services Program is offering a program dedicated to Wellness through a grant recommendation from Nike N7 through CAF America.
The program started Dec. 1 will last a total of 16 weeks and will include weekly virtual workouts and wellness webinars that cover different topics through the end of March.
According to MCN Youth Services Youth Mentor Gina Powell, sign ups for the program ended in Nov. but others can still participate by following the MCNYS Facebook page.
Those participants who registered received a wellness package that included a t-shirt, bag, water bottle, jump rope, fit bit, and other small items to promote wellness that was purchased with the grant funding.
Youth participants 12-24 and adults 25 and up are encouraged to view the programs videos.
“This is our second year to receive the grant and our second year to hold the Wellness Program,” Powell explains. “This time around we have about 45 registered participants and they range from the reservation boundaries and even out of state.”
Weekly workouts are held each Tuesday at from 4-5 pm and the wellness webinars are held every other Wednesday from 4-5 pm and can viewed via live stream on the MCNYS Facebook page.
“The weekly workouts include an intense 30-minute boot camp with Dr. Nicole Been as well as yoga for the younger kids,” Powell said. “For one of the segments we had Kim Little (with Eufaula Indian Clinic) lead aerobics. We have different presenters that will do the presentations and we broadcast them. We have activities like Zumba and Bringing in a Healthy New Year.”
The staff is collecting data monthly from participants and giving out incentives for points earned during the program.
“At the end of the program we hope to give away a pair of the Nike N7 tennis shoes,” Powell said.
The Wellness Webinars will cover areas over emotional, physical, spiritual, cultural, social, and occupational wellness, along with other topics to come and already covered like music.
“One way we got every one involved with the music webinar, was for them to send in videos of them dancing,” Powell said. “Even if they were alone dancing in their rooms it lets us know they were involved and we got a lot videos submitted and each person who submitted got a sweatshirt.”
The program is also utilizing an app called Band that allows participants to follow the program and turn in data.
“The mission of the Mvskoke Youth Wellness Program is to increase physical activity and promote cultural connection,” Powell said. “We hope to continue to get this grant every year and do this each year.”
Powell encourages citizens to check out the MCNYS Facebook page for participation and feel free to reach out at 918-549-2557.
