On Saturday, December 8th, the Columbia Community Wellness Center welcomed a total of almost 60 visitors into their space for a fun and engaging community event. The event was a part of a larger effort made by some of the public facilities and programs residing in Columbia University’s new Manhattanville campus.
Upon entering, attendees were greeted with a warm smile by Vivian Kurutz, Executive Director and founder of the Harlem Wellness Center, who was to be leading the event that afternoon. Just a month prior, Kurutz was invited to participate in Columbia University’s Community Scholars Dialogue on health and wellness, where she gave an empowering presentation on the health disparities African-American women face in today’s society. Kurutz is known for her creative approach towards community-organizing and her enormous zeal towards facilitating public engagement in the Harlem wellness community. Both organizations felt compelled to use the Wellness Center as a space to host a movement-based activity¬, piggy-backing off the Education Lab’s Saturday Science theme, “Let’s Move It.”
From this notion, both parties decided to utilize Kurutz’s yoga-instructor background to host a free community chair exercise event. The goal was to design a recreational program that was suitable for all ages with the focus being on disseminating wellness information in an organic and effortless fashion.
Kurutz was able to lead five 20-minute chair exercise classes, where she guided participants through a series of movements promoting strength, flexibility, and vitality. The groups of attendees were of all ages, making the event enjoyable for anyone who walked in.
Learn more about the Wellness Center at their website.
