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October 6, 2023
Meet retired Marine John Papson, a graduate of the YMCA Veterans Wellness Pathway Program.
“We've all seen the retired individual at the exchange or commissary overweight and out of shape. When I retired I vowed that would not be me! Fast forward 20 years and a second career later, and guess who is 50 lbs heavier and out of shape?”
These are the words of Papson, who walked into the Y one day and met Megan McCuen, coordinator of the Y’s Veterans Pathway program.
“Megan grabbed me and talked about this program just for the vets and their families so I thought, why not, and joined. During the 12-week course, we were involved in classes on balance, nutrition (not dieting but real-world ideas) tai chi, mental health, stretching, and weight machines.
“The idea is pure simplicity,” John continued “One day a week we met on Zoom to go over the non-physical training, like mindfulness and nutrition. All the classes are highly informative and taught by professionals in the field. The gym portion was the following day with Megan ensuring that we used the proper form for all exercises so no one was injured.
“The program not only gives you the proper form for the exercise but you learn from others and, as Megan says, become a small family. Personally, I unlocked the determination that had somehow disappeared over the years and it feels great! The sessions are awesome and Megan encourages you enough to keep you going. Megan is a dynamic instructor who genuinely cares about her students and wants them to succeed.
“Overall I can't say enough about this program. If you are a military Veteran or family of a vet, it is well worth your time, and beats the heck out of reruns in front of the tube!!”
Semper FI,
John