Rappahannock United Way funds health programs:...
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By Stacy Rounds Laura Ruiz is done making excuses. “My kids always wanted to go to the park and I said no,” stated Ruiz, who lives in Stafford’s Foxwood Village with her husband Olegario and four children. “It’s too far. It’s too hot. Or, it’s too cold. Excuses.” Ruiz would typically do anything for her children, but getting them to the park is not easy. Her family currently relies on one vehicle for all their family needs. “We only have one car that’s working,” said Ruiz, who explained the car is usually occupied either by her husband who works full time or her 18-year-old who needs it to attend classes at Northern Virginia Community College and get to her part-time job. If Ruiz was going to take the kids to the park, they’d have to walk. Five months ago, walking wasn’t part of Ruiz’s routine. She did some exercises at home, but typically stayed inside and often felt isolated and alone. “I don’t have family here – just my kids and my husband,” said Ruiz, who came to the United States from Mexico 21 years ago and still misses having her parents and extended family around. With no place to go and no one to visit, sitting at home was difficult for Ruiz. That all changed when she was invited to join a health program funded by Rappahannock United Way. Ruiz started participating in the Healthy Living Pays program at Stafford Junction. One of their weekly activities is a Walking Club. Olga Escobar, Adult Program Manager at Stafford Junction, began the Walking Club in September 2016 to increase physical activity. “The idea is to encourage the whole family to get out and exercise,” she said. “You don’t need a car for this. People can do this at home in their neighborhoods.” This year alone, Rappahannock United Way will help 9,600 people in our community improve their health by investing over $435,000 in programs like the one Escobar runs. Escobar leads 20-30 walkers every Wednesday at 10 a.m. After a few stretching and breathing warm-ups, the group walks from Stafford Junction on Truslow Road to England Run Library in South Stafford. The two-mile trip each week was just what Ruiz needed. “I look forward to coming here,” said Ruiz, who gets a ride from Stafford Junction each week. “At first I didn’t come because of having no car. They said they have a van and they could come get me. That made me feel happy. Sometimes I’m depressed at home. When I walk, I feel happy or at least better. When you have something to do, you get up, take a shower and dress appropriately. The Walking Club gives me a purpose.” For people like Ruiz, transportation issues and lack of income for gym memberships are often barriers to establishing regular exercise routines. Rappahannock United Way understands how important it is to give people like Ruiz access to resources to overcome these barriers. Escobar’s goal is to empower all of her walking participants and give them the confidence to start walking in their neighborhoods. “Walking doesn’t cost you a penny,” said Escobar, who encourages her walkers to log miles on their own each week, in addition to what they do in the club. “It’s more about discipline. I want them to reclaim the public space, get off the couch, get out in the weather and have fun exercising.” Escobar, who has a nurse track weight and blood pressure for the walkers twice a month, says the efforts are paying off. “They have been losing inches and levels of energy have increased,” said Escobar. “Walking is simple and easy. You just have to do it. You just have to get started.” Today, Ruiz walks four or five times a week and often walks to the park with her kids. “They love picnics, so I pack snacks and lots of water and walk to the park,” said Ruiz, who is sleeping better, has more energy and is losing inches since she started walking. “I never wanted to do that before. For my kids, it’s a big adventure. “ Ruiz smiled as she talked about walking with her children to Smith Lake Park and how happy it makes them. “Like every mom, I want them to grow up and be happy,” said Ruiz. “My kids mean everything to me.” Want to help thousands more like Laura right here in our community? Give to Rappahannock United Way today! Stacy Rounds is a Community Impact Coordinator at Rappahannock United Way. She lives in Stafford. Rappahannock United Way funds health programs: Exercise is a Walk in the Park for Local Mom At Rappahannock United Way, we are only $200,000 away from meeting our fundraising goal and need your help in order to ensure we can support so many important local programs again this year. Over the past year, Rappahannock United Way funded 37 different programs that will help over 19,600 individuals improve their lives in the areas of Education, Financial Stability and Health. Change begins with a single act: your decision to give. Will you please help? This page is a part of the Free Lance-Star Community Awareness program and is supported by contributions from the sponsoring business listed above. For more information, please call Roger Will at 540-735-1949 or email at [email protected] We join Rappahannock United Way in partnership to create a better community. Being a part of the community gives our leadership and our staff a better insight to the needs and values of the people we connect with. 3 easy ways to give to 3 easy ways to give to Online – www.RappahannockUnitedWay.org www.RappahannockUnitedWay.org Simply click the “DONATE DONATE” button. Call or Text – Call Rappahannock United Way at: 540-373-0041 540-373-0041 or text: RUWgive RUWgive to 41-444 41-444 Mail – a check to: Rappahannock United Way, 3310 Shannon Park Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22408 Your gift is tax deductible. We also accept gifts of Your gift is tax deductible. We also accept gifts of stock and IRA contributions. stock and IRA contributions. Laura Ruiz (far left) leads the way during a recent walk from Stafford Junction to Laura Ruiz (far left) leads the way during a recent walk from Stafford Junction to England Run Library in Stafford. England Run Library in Stafford. Laura Ruiz (far left) felt isolated and Laura Ruiz (far left) felt isolated and alone before she joined a local walk- alone before she joined a local walk- ing program funded by Rappahannock ing program funded by Rappahannock United Way. Today, she walks four to United Way. Today, she walks four to five times a week, is sleeping better, five times a week, is sleeping better, has more energy and has lost weight. has more energy and has lost weight.
Transcript of Rappahannock United Way funds health programs:...
By Stacy Rounds
Laura Ruiz is done making excuses.
“My kids always wanted to go to the park and I saidno,” stated Ruiz, who lives in Stafford’s FoxwoodVillage with her husband Olegario and four children.“It’s too far. It’s too hot. Or, it’s too cold. Excuses.”
Ruiz would typically do anything for her children,but getting them to the park is not easy. Her familycurrently relies on one vehicle for all their familyneeds.
“We only have one car that’s working,” said Ruiz,who explained the car is usually occupied either byher husband who works full time or her 18-year-oldwho needs it to attend classes at Northern VirginiaCommunity College and get to her part-time job. IfRuiz was going to take the kids to the park, they’dhave to walk.
Five months ago, walking wasn’t part of Ruiz’sroutine. She did some exercises at home, but typicallystayed inside and often felt isolated and alone. “I don’thave family here – just my kids and my husband,”said Ruiz, who came to the United States from Mexico21 years ago and still misses having her parents andextended family around.
With no place to go and no one to visit, sitting athome was difficult for Ruiz. That all changed whenshe was invited to join a health program funded byRappahannock United Way. Ruiz started participatingin the Healthy Living Pays program at StaffordJunction. One of their weekly activities is a WalkingClub.
Olga Escobar, Adult Program Manager at StaffordJunction, began the Walking Club in September 2016to increase physical activity. “The idea is to encouragethe whole family to get out and exercise,” she said.“You don’t need a car for this. People can do this at
home in their neighborhoods.”
This year alone, Rappahannock United Way will help9,600 people in our community improve their healthby investing over $435,000 in programs like the oneEscobar runs.
Escobar leads 20-30 walkers every Wednesday at 10a.m. After a few stretching and breathing warm-ups,the group walks from Stafford Junction on TruslowRoad to England Run Library in South Stafford. Thetwo-mile trip each week was just what Ruiz needed.
“I look forward to coming here,” said Ruiz, who gets aride from Stafford Junction each week. “At first I didn’tcome because of having no car. They said they havea van and they could come get me. That made mefeel happy. Sometimes I’m depressed at home. WhenI walk, I feel happy or at least better. When you havesomething to do, you get up, take a shower and dressappropriately. The Walking Club gives me a purpose.”
For people like Ruiz, transportation issues and lackof income for gym memberships are often barriers toestablishing regular exercise routines. RappahannockUnited Way understands how important it is to givepeople like Ruiz access to resources to overcome thesebarriers.
Escobar’s goal is to empower all of her walkingparticipants and give them the confidence to startwalking in their neighborhoods. “Walking doesn’tcost you a penny,” said Escobar, who encouragesher walkers to log miles on their own each week, inaddition to what they do in the club. “It’s more aboutdiscipline. I want them to reclaim the public space,
get off the couch, get out in the weather and have funexercising.”
Escobar, who has a nurse track weight and bloodpressure for the walkers twice a month, says theefforts are paying off.
“They have been losing inches and levels of energyhave increased,” said Escobar. “Walking is simpleand easy. You just have to do it. You just have to getstarted.”
Today, Ruiz walks four or five times a week and oftenwalks to the park with her kids. “They love picnics, soI pack snacks and lots of water and walk to the park,”said Ruiz, who is sleeping better, has more energyand is losing inches since she started walking. “Inever wanted to do that before. For my kids, it’s a bigadventure. “
Ruiz smiled as she talked about walking with herchildren to Smith Lake Park and how happy it makesthem. “Like every mom, I want them to grow up and behappy,” said Ruiz. “My kids mean everything to me.”
Want to help thousands more
like Laura right here in our
community? Give to
Rappahannock United Way today!
Stacy Rounds is a Community Impact Coordinator atRappahannock United Way. She lives in Stafford.
Rappahannock United Way funds health programs:
Exercise is a Walk in the Park for Local Mom
At Rappahannock United Way, we are only
$200,000 away from meeting our fundraising
goal and need your help in order to ensure we
can support so many important local programs
again this year.
Over the past year, Rappahannock United Way
funded 37 different programs that will help
over 19,600 individuals improve their lives in
the areas of Education, Financial Stability and
Health.
Change begins with a single act: your decision
to give. Will you please help?
This page is a part of the Free Lance-Star Community Awareness program and is supported by contributions from the sponsoring
business listed above. For more information, please call Roger Will at 540-735-1949 or email at [email protected]
We join Rappahannock United Way inpartnership to create a better community.
Being a part of the community gives our
leadership and our staff a better insight to the
needs and values of the people we connect with.
3 easy ways to give to3 easy ways to give to
Online –
www.RappahannockUnitedWay.orgwww.RappahannockUnitedWay.org
Simply click the “DONATEDONATE” button.
Call or Text –
Call Rappahannock United Way at: 540-373-0041540-373-0041
or text: RUWgiveRUWgive to 41-44441-444
Mail – a check to: Rappahannock United Way,
3310 Shannon Park Drive, Fredericksburg, VA
22408
Your gift is tax deductible. We also accept gifts ofYour gift is tax deductible. We also accept gifts of
stock and IRA contributions.stock and IRA contributions.
Laura Ruiz (far left) leads the way during a recent walk from Stafford Junction toLaura Ruiz (far left) leads the way during a recent walk from Stafford Junction to
England Run Library in Stafford.England Run Library in Stafford.
Laura Ruiz (far left) felt isolated andLaura Ruiz (far left) felt isolated and
alone before she joined a local walk-alone before she joined a local walk-
ing program funded by Rappahannocking program funded by Rappahannock
United Way. Today, she walks four toUnited Way. Today, she walks four to
five times a week, is sleeping better,five times a week, is sleeping better,
has more energy and has lost weight.has more energy and has lost weight.
