SAVOY, Ill – This winter, Vermilion County residents gathered for one or both sessions at the Catlin Public Library for the Winter Wellness Miniseries. Led by Family Life Educator Emily Harmon, this miniseries aimed to bring some positivity and education to the holiday season and the new year. Winter can be a magical time, with snowfalls, holidays, and other festive events, but realistically, this time of year can be exceptionally stressful for many. Winter can bring chilly air and poor weather conditions, and an increased need to stay at home for extended periods, effectively resulting in isolation, which can negatively impact one’s mental health.
These recurring behaviors did not go unnoticed by the Family Life team, and the Winter Wellness Miniseries was created. The first in the series was Stress Relief Through the Holidays on December 3, which taught participants different ways to alleviate stress so they can get the most out of their holiday season. The second event in the series was Dementia Friends on January 7, which educated participants about dementia and how to make a difference in the lives of those living with it in their community.
“One of the biggest messages to come out of this series is the importance of self-care and letting go of things that don’t matter as much in the grand scheme of things,” said Harmon. After each session, participants were asked to share some feedback on their experience and knowledge before and after the session. Of those who participated in the optional anonymous survey, all respondents reported improvement in their knowledge of the topic and planned to apply what they learned to their lives after the workshop.
To learn more about Illinois Extension’s Family Consumer Science program, visit go.illinois.edu/Family-Life or contact Emily Harmon at ebaine@illinois.edu or 217-333-7672.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.