Team: School of Walk
Location: Sǫ̀mba K’è/Yellowknife
School of Walk came together out of a new-Northerner’s fear of being “too cold” to go outside in January and February. Brandon put together a team of his new NWT colleagues and friends to not only motivate himself to get outside and get moving, but also to create something that they could all do together – better creating the bonds between them. Recruitment started at his office, signing up the whole team, and then moved to a Saturday morning running club he is a part of, and then branched out to some new and old friends.
Every Friday, Brandon sends out team updates and weekly challenges to get everyone outside and moving. Some of the past challenges have been to walk with someone new, to (re)fall in love with the outdoors, and to try a new outdoor activity or get back into one that you haven’t done in a while. Team members (including Jenna and Andreas mostly) have participated in the challenges and shared their photos among the team’s e-mail thread. This has helped to create the space for new memories, connections, and some much-needed vitamin D from being outside.
Brandon reflects on his team’s progress over the last few months,
“The Walking Challenge thus far has been an incredibly exciting feat for our team. It has given us something to laugh about, walk for, and connect over. It has helped me find friends and encouraged me to get outside, active, and moving on the days when I wasn’t sure I had it in me. I am super thankful and proud of the team for having already made it 2,134 km since the start of the Challenge and I am looking forward to seeing how far we’ll get in February.”
Thanks for sharing your story, Brandon!
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