Congratulations to Brooke Jaffee Gershenbaum for being the participant of the month for October. Brooke participates regularly in High Fitness with Community Captain Sarah Edwards and she also volunteers at community youth programs through Active SWV. Brooke has a contagious energy level and high priority for physical activity. When Brooke moved to Fayette County she was looking to make new friends and found an active, healthy network through Active SWV.
Brook shares her story with us here; “I was raised in Woodstock NY with the most incredibly real and wild people surrounding me. I believe it is because of Woodstock and the energy that town had that I can express myself fully. I moved from NYC in the winter of 2004 to Miami Beach to go to yoga school. My sister had taken me to my first yoga class on the upper west side and it was from the class that I decided I had to become a yoga instructor. The spirit drew me to the practice. When I was in yoga school was the first time I felt the mind, body, spirit connection and I knew right then that there was no other way to live. I HAD to share that news with everyone. It felt like I had this amazing inside information on life and I wanted everyone to have it.
Before I even moved to WV everyone that I had conversations with over the phone or via Facebook told me about Active SWVand Melanie. They told me that it sounded like her and I are on the same mission! That mission is to get people up and moving and build a community of people who build on an active lifestyle. I am very interested in getting kids moving as well. I was a PE teacher and also ran kids camps with various activities/sports. I love to watch a child run off their excess energy in a healthy way! I just want to be out and moving around and having fun while my body gets and stays fit.
I stay motivated by remembering how amazing I feel after a great workout. Living healthfully is my thing; when you find your thing you do not let it go. Watching myself grow as an athlete and yoga practitioner over the years has given me the motivation to keep going. I couldn’t imagine just sitting around. Being active is where I find myself and my people!!”
Brooke has her undergrad in behavioral science and is working on her masters for clinical counseling in mental health. “I believe that mental clarity comes from a healthy lifestyle.”
“More people should join Active because then we will be friends!! All it takes is the first time to show up. Just show up and leave the rest to us!”
High Fitness Facebook Group Page
Waiver – Please read and sign this waiver of liability before attending any in-person programs, activities, or events.
The volunteers, participants, partners acknowledge and understand that exposure to disease causing organisms, such as COVID-19, and personal contact with others, including but not limited to participants, non-participants, organizers, volunteers, onlookers and other individuals in the activity/program involves a certain degree of risk that could result in illness, permanent disability or death. Participants acknowledge that Active SWV has not screened or tested any of the participants for such diseases. After fully and carefully considering all the potential risks involved, participants hereby assume the same and agree to release and hold harmless Active SWV and its employees, officers, agents, volunteers, vendors and contractors from and against all claims and liability resulting from exposure to disease causing organisms such as COVID-19.
