TOWNSHEND — October is National Physical Therapy Month. To encourage everyone to get out and exercise, the Grace Cottage Hospital Rehabilitation Department will hold its 12th Annual Poker Walk on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
This fun, free, two-mile walk/run begins at the Grace Cottage Hospital Wolff Building. The course goes for one mile north on Route 35/Grafton Road, then back again to the Wolff Building. It's relatively flat by Vermont standards!
Playing cards are distributed along the way, and a grand prize - an overnight stay at the Snow Goose Inn in West Dover - is awarded to the community member with the best hand at the end. Door prizes will also be awarded.
The event is held rain or shine. Participants may start at the Wolff Building anytime between 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and they may do the course as often as they wish, collecting a different poker hand each time they do the course. Advance registration is not required.
Other Grace Cottage wellness events in October include an “Exercise for Better Balance” class. The six-week class will be held on Thursdays, Oct. 14 to Nov. 18, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Hospital's Community Wellness Center.
Join Grace Cottage's Rehabilitation professionals for this interactive, exercise-oriented, balance and strength class. The six-week series is designed to teach participants specific balance-related exercises. The instructors will also provide take-home “tips and tools” to improve overall balance and general strength. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and soft-soled shoes. The class fee is $25 for the series or $5 per week for drop-ins.
Also, there will be a one-day Psyche-Soma Sampler workshop to be held on Saturday, October 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Grace Cottage Hospital's Community Wellness Center.
Bring your own lunch or a dish to share for potluck, and dress comfortably in layers and soft-soled indoor footwear. No prior experience is necessary to participate in and benefit from the techniques that will be taught. The instructor is Debra Ty, who who teaches tai chi and qi-gong classes throughout the area. The cost for the class is $50. Limited space is available. Pre-registration is required.
For more information on all three of these activities, call 802-365-3649.