St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe announced the launch of a new challenge to inspire residents to stay healthy and engaged with the community this fall.
September may be off to an exciting start with outdoor events and parties to keep Brock students moving around, but as the summer days begin to dwindle and the air starts to cool, it can be increasingly difficult to stay active. This is especially true when schoolwork ramps up and students find themselves relegated to hours of sitting in front of a computer screen, day in and day out.
Still, remaining active is not an impossible task, even during midterms, and it could be easier if students keep up with St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe’s newly launched initiative, moveSTC.
moveSTC is an activity-based event wherein Siscoe recommends three different challenges each month with an exercise and a goal to reach. These challenges vary in difficulty and are meant to “accommodate different fitness levels, accessibility needs and busy schedules.”
Siscoe posted his monthly recommendations across various social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook and X. They include 30 minutes of yoga a day, 45 minutes of strength training three times a week and 15,000 steps a day.
Whether you’re specifically following the challenge or staying active in some other way, participants are encouraged to share their progress using #moveSTC and connect with their community. After all, exercise can seem like a solitary and unmotivating practice when doing so alone.
As a further incentive to stay active and healthy, St. Catharines is offering monthly giveaways for those who officially declare their participation via the tracker sheet at www.stcatharines.ca/moveSTC. By putting in their contact information, favourite activity and the number of days they exercised during the month, participants have the chance to win gift cards, membership passes and event tickets. Winners are selected at random on the first working day of each month, and those who share their progress on social media as mentioned above will receive extra entries in the raffle.
Brock students have plenty of options on and around campus when it comes to getting physically active. Perhaps the most well-known is The Zone, Brock’s fitness centre, but there are plenty of other ways Brock students can stay fit and engage with Mayor Siscoe’s new challenge, including walking outdoors. Whether it’s one of the many trails around the university or someplace a bit further, like Morningstar Mill or St. Johns Conservation Area, St. Catharines and the surrounding region offer a multitude of opportunities for eager Brock students to get more exercise.
Mayor Siscoe’s activity challenge is a great opportunity for Brock students to stay active as the weather drops and the urge to stay inside, skip class and watch Netflix grows stronger.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one of the most important things you can do as a student — despite its difficulty in conjunction with classes and homework — and moveSTC could be your ticket in.
