Walk for Hope

I know I am constantly "preaching" about walking for exercise! It's cheap, it's available, it's a great starting place for the "non-exerciser", it's low impact, anyone can do it, and personally, I have found it to be one of the best ways to combine a workout and catch up with friends. I like to call it "Walk Therapy"!

I'm pretty sure that I have shared this (probly, in more than a FEW of my posts, right??) but last August I started walking with a friend a week or so after she had major cancer surgery. We started with walking to the end of her block and back-and now most days we walk 41/2-5 miles! Three times a week!!! We have lots to talk about-from minor annoyances to devastating losses!! We gave shared plenty of laughs and shed a few tears; made a pinkie-swear that "what is said on our walks-stays in our walks". We have a safe place to talk about anything going on in our lives; to be completely real, to offer support, and sometimes to just walk alongside each other because there are no words.

As of today, we have managed to continue to walk 3 times a week-except for the occasionally bad weather or crisis, that prevents our walk. We both feel like it is such a stress relief that we are extra stressed when we miss it. At some point as the weather changed from fall to winter, it became a competition with ourselves to see how long we could keep it up through the winter weather-and here we are in March still going strong!! Even WE are amazed! :)

This post is actually about someone else (no, really!) and her vision to help others become healthy-physically, emotionally and spiritually-one step at a time!

I oversee 4-5 support groups that meet every Wednesday at what we call "Hope Street". Victoria began attending our "Women Encouraging Women" group over a year ago after her husband left her. (For more of her story, you absolutely must read her blog Vic's Thoughts (vicsthoughts.blog.com) She was heartbroken and began what I call "Divorce Diet"-one of the worse ways to lost weight  :(  But over that past year for the first time in her life she has begun to take care of herself-physically, emotionally and spiritually-and has lost 100lbs! Let me say that again: Victoria has lost 100 pounds! And now she wants to share her hope with others struggling in these areas. 

Step One is to get people moving! She is calling her first adventure "Walk for Hope". The plan is for everyone (men and women) to meet at least once a week on Wednesdays at 6:00pm, at Resolution Church. Resolution Church sits on a good sized piece of property and, together, we will walk, talk, encourage and inspire one another, whether it's to take that first step-or to going!
(Step Two will be a weight management group that starts in April)

I am so proud of how far Victoria has come! She was completely immobilized by her hurt when I first met her, and, now, to see her changed life, touches my heart in a way I have no words for. She has taken that brokenness and turned into a desire to inspire others :)   a.w.e.s.o.m.e.
Honestly, tho, there is no way that I can share Victoria's vision quite as passionately as she can!! She would love to chat with you: feel free to email her at vblume417@gmail.com

The launch meeting is this Wednesday, March 6th at 6pm at Resolution Church (5313 W. Rt. 34, Oswego) Doesn't matter if you walk 1/10th of a mile or 10 miles at least give it a try, what do you have to lose? (well...weight, I guess!)

Change begins with one small step in the right direction!