Volunteer Keeps Hearts Healthy Through Dance

DAYTON - Working isn't always fun, but local volunteer Melissa McCow- en is doing what she can to help a local Zumba group lose weight, get in shape and stay healthy.

The Zumba class, which is sponsored by the Columbia County Health System, was created last year to pro- vide another method for local residents to get healthier.

The class is free to attend and is hosted every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7 at the Dayton Elementary School gym.

McCowen attended the Zumba class last year when it was taught by a different instructor and said she enjoyed it.

"I was loving (the class) so much and I had such a great time last year, the thought of trying to head it up (this year) was exciting for me," McCowen said.

Zumba is a high-energy dance workout that draws influence from Latin dance and music. McCowen said she is trying to gear the class to focus heavily on Latin dance mixed with hip-hop with "several different fla- vors."

McCowen, a stay at home mother of a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl, said she loves the upbeat class.

"I love it when people sweat and they come up to me and thank me for it," McCowen said. "I guess that means I did my job."

The class has had a good turnout so far, McCowen said, with about 35 people attending on the first night, about 27 on the second night and comparable numbers since then.

"Hopefully we can continue keeping up a good turnout," McCowen said.

McCowen said a lot of people were hesitant about attending the class at first, but everyone seemed to have fun.

"I just keep telling them that (dancing well) is not the point," McCowen said. "It's just a place where we can let our hair down and have some fun."

The wellness program was facilitated by the Co- lumbia County Health Sys- tem along with the Columbia Cares coalition, orga- nizer and coalition member Jody Martin said.

"We're trying to keep things on the cheap," Martin said. "So it's free and it's fun."

Martin said because the class and wellness programs are geared toward being financially feasible, the vol- unteers have to be self-moti- vated and proactive.

"(McCowen) is a go- getter," Martin said. "She stepped up to the plate and she's doing a great job."

Martin said McCowen even started a wellness event on her own, a Thanksgiving 5K run. The run was inspired by a 5K McCowen partici- pated in recently in the Tri- Cities. McCowen said she wanted to participate in the Turkey Trot in Walla Walla but was concerned it would consume her whole day.

"So I thought I would do my own here," McCowen said.

The informal event will start at 8 a.m. on Thanksgiv- ing day. Runners will meet up at 7:45 at Flour Mill Park. The run is free to participate in and McCowen said if it is successful, she would like to turn it into a fundraiser.

"It's not an organized event, it's just a group of people wanting to do a little something before indulging in that Thanksgiving feast."

Martin said one of the most interesting things about the Zumba class is the attendees are about half Dayton residents, and half Waitsburg residents.

The wellness program also features a weight loss support group that meets on Mondays at 4 p.m. in the hospital office, Martin said. At the meetings, participants will have their weight and measurements recorded to track weight loss prog- ress. Anyone interested in joining the group can contact Martin at 382-2531, extension 333.

Martin said she hopes to get a hospital-wide calendar to track all of the wellness events in the area includ- ing the weight loss support group and the Zumba class.