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Health, wellness events part of Global Wellness Day celebration

by Daniel McKay
Whitefish Pilot | June 6, 2017 4:23 PM

Whitefish will join more than 4,000 locations in 100 countries to celebrate Global Wellness Day on Saturday, June 10.

The event, put on by Blu Spas and hosted by The Springs at Whitefish for the second straight year, will feature a full day of exercises and wellness activities.

The day will kick off with a community walk and feature demonstrations of Zumba, tai chi, aerobics, yoga and OULA, a new dance craze that began in Missoula. The Springs will also offer self care stations which focus on acupuncture, massage, nutrition, body care and meditation. The event is sponsored by Energy Medicine Yoga, Whitefish Massage Therapy and The Wave.

Kim Collier, manager of operations and education at Blu Spas Inc., said feedback from the community was great after the event’s first year.

“The community involvement and the outreach has been remarkable,” she said. “There seems to be a growing understanding and awareness of the value of wellness for all ages. We’re really thinking about our longevity, our exercise, our planet and the connection we all share.”

Global Wellness Day recommends following a seven-point manifesto for wellness, which includes walking for an hour, drinking more water, not using plastic bottles, eating healthy food, doing a good deed, having a family dinner with loved ones, and getting to bed by 10 p.m.

This year, extra focus will be placed on kindness, gratitude and mindfulness. Collier said participants will be encouraged to “detox” from technology during the day.

“We’re challenging people to set their phone aside for at least two hours on June 10 and make that a healthy habit,” she said.

Blu Spas is a full-service design firm that has offers consultancy, advisory and operating solutions for the spa, fitness and wellness industry for more than 30 years.

Collier said with the work that Blu Spas does and an active community here in Whitefish, bringing Global Wellness Day to the Valley was an easy choice.

“It’s a no brainer really. The culture of Whitefish is perfect to host such an event,” she said. “I think it’s been a matter of right time, right place here, and super good people that really care about the planet and the people and our future here together.”

Global Wellness Day is in its sixth year as an event and its third year of worldwide participation. Turkish founder and cancer survivor Belgin Aksoy Berkin started the event with the idea that wellness is not a luxury but the inherent right of every individual, and her mantra of “one day can change your whole life” hopes to inspire others to put wellness first for one day.

The community walk will take place from 9:30 to 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Springs. Different activities and self care stations will be offered from 10 a.m. to noon.

For more information on Global Wellness Day, visit www.globalwellnessday.org.