Windsor kicks off Wellness Wednesdays for mental health

Windsor kicks off Wellness Wednesdays for mental health

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Wellness Wednesdays have returned to downtown Windsor workplaces.

For the month of May, people who work downtown and members of the public are encouraged to go for a walk at lunchtime each Wednesday this month to improve their physical and mental well-being.

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Speaking at the event’s kickoff at Charles Clark Square this week, Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino said mental health issues can impact anyone at any time, regardless of age, gender, or background.

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“Our mental health and well-being are vitally important to all of us, and we are reaching out today to encourage us all to take care of ourselves and, of course, each other,” Agostino said.

“We know that physical and mental health go hand-in-hand.”

Windsor kicks off Wellness Wednesdays for mental health
Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino talks about Wellness Wednesdays during the initiative’s kick-off at Charles Clark Square in Windsor on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Photo by Taylor Campbell /Windsor Star

Wellness Wednesday began eight years ago to encourage employees of Caesars Windsor and the city to take a fitness break during their work day. Participants take a one-kilometre stroll through the downtown, along the riverfront, and back to work.

The walk has grown over the years, with other workplaces now taking part: the University of Windsor, St. Clair College, the Windsor Police Service, Windsor Fire and Rescue Services, and the Windsor Public Library.

Wellness Wednesday is part of the Canadian Mental Health Association — Windsor-Essex County Branch’s Sole Focus project. Through the project, the organization provides mental health education and training.

Wellness Wednesday participants
Downtown Windsor workers pose for a photo in Charles Clark Square before taking a Wellness Wednedsay walk to the riverfront on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Photo by Taylor Campbell /Windsor Star

Nicole Sbrocca, chief executive officer of the local CMHA branch, said research “consistently shows that exposure to nature reduces stress, anxiety, and depression.

“Walking outdoors, this is not new — the research is nearly a century old. It’s a message that bears repeating: even moderate amounts of exercise and certainly exercise outdoors wards off depression and anxiety, and those stressors that each of us feel day in and day out,” Sbrocca said.

May is Mental Health Month, she said, “so let’s lace up our shoes … step outside and really embrace the transformative power that comes with being outdoors and being together.”

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