The Bradley Wellness Club has sprinted onto the campus scene this academic year. Beginning in the fall of 2020, the club has amassed over 100 members and is planning to expand its plans to help Bradley students manage their stress in a tense time.
The leading members of the Wellness Club — vice president Leah LoVerde, treasurer Claire Gustafson and president Viviane Eldarazi — founded the club out of a desire to form a group that stands for inclusiveness and wellness both mentally and physically.
“Some people don’t know how to take care of themselves, and this club helps them know where to start,” Gustafson, a junior kinesiology and health science major, said.
After a long COVID-19 quarantine, LoVerde said her priorities were in fitness, health and a place to meet new friends, which influenced her activity in the club in the face of big obstacles.
“It is pretty challenging to start a club in the middle of a pandemic,” LoVerde said.
The club had to start off on Zoom in the fall semester. Due to rules set by the university, in-person events were limited for clubs.
Despite the challenges, the Wellness Club is making the most of it. Masked and socially distanced events occurred during the fall semester, but now that there is snow on the ground, the executive board has gotten creative.
Elizabeth Klisiewicz, junior nursing major and event coordinator for the Wellness Club, enjoys the mindfulness-based activities that the club offers. Her favorite event so far has been a journaling session before finals week, where everyone could reflect on their semester.
Klisiewicz has planned yoga sessions, meditation classes and virtual coffee dates for members to interact with each other over Zoom. She currently has even more surprises up her sleeve for the spring semester, including a “grab and go” event and a 5K run. Klisiewicz is hoping for the club to safely meet as a group again now that Bradley is allowing some events to be held in-person.
Weekly newsletters and meetings allow the club to stay in touch. However, the growing number of members has made it hard for the club to communicate effectively with everyone. The added creation of small groups is aimed to help members build relationships easily and feel more engaged.
The Bradley Wellness Club encourages those interested to visit their Instagram, @bradleywellnessclub, for wellness tips, recipes, workouts and more.
