Meet your April Community Captain of the Month, Lori Keller!
Lori Keller grew up in a small town in Virginia. After attending college in Fredericksburg, Virginia, she knew city life was not for her and that she wanted to move to the mountains. Her brother had just moved to Fayetteville, so she decided to move to West Virginia as well. Eventually, her mom and dad moved to West Virginia too.
Lori is a wife and mother to 3 kids and though she is no doubt busy, she still finds time to teach her weekly free Active SWV Gentle Chair Yoga class. She says, “My kids and I are always riding bikes on the trail in Oak Hill or at the park playing on nice days. When I first moved here (West Virginia) I was always hiking. I also did a little climbing”. Lori grew up playing soft ball and played all throughout high school and college. “I’ve always been active. In fact, I have a hard time sitting still, which is why practicing yoga is so good for me.”
It is apparent that Lori’s love for being active, mixed with her natural passion for teaching, made her the perfect fit to become an Active SWV Community Captain.
“I love teaching yoga because it has helped me so much both mentally and physically. The chair yoga class that I teach is meant for people who may not think that they are physically able to do much. ANYBODY can do this! I wanted to create a comfortable environment for people in our community who really need exercise and to feel better about themselves who may not be able to afford to go to a fitness center or even feel comfortable going to one. The atmosphere of my class is so amazing. I started this class to reach out to ALL people no matter what their physical limitations.”
It can be a challenge to find the time and energy to be active. Lori is no stranger to these challenges and says that the thing that motivates her to stay active is her family, as well as herself.
“I know how much better I feel when I stay active. I also must stay in good shape to keep up with my kids. I want to be able to help my daughter with her gymnastics and throw a ball or swim with my sons. I want to be able to walk up and down the bleachers to watch them at their games and meets. I also have my own health problems and I don’t want to let those get the best of me.”
So why should you join a free Active SWV Program? Well it’s simple do it for yourself, you will gain a lot! Lori says,
“By joining one of the Active SWV programs you will meet other people in your community that are trying to live healthier. You may even meet someone who has the same health issues or disabilities as you and learn new ways to live healthier and feel better. You might learn better food choices or a type of exercise that you’ve never tried before that you really like. I know you will also meet some amazing people in your community and make lifelong friends.”
Anyone is welcome to become a Community Captain. All you need to have is the desire to live a healthier and happier tomorrow and help others do it too!
“By becoming a Community Captain, you will become more physically active yourself and motivate others to do so. This will motivate yourself to stay active to continue to help those in your community who need you. It is very rewarding to help others and be a part of bringing your community together to live healthier and happier.”
Lori is right, becoming a Community Captain helps people stay consistent and motivated, while also creating a social and safe atmosphere for people to talk about their health in a positive way. You can catch Lori every Tuesday at 5:30pm at Gentle Chair Yoga class located at New River Health in Whipple.
Active SWV, the staff, and community are so thankful to have Lori Keller on our team. She is dedicated to improving her community and has impacted the lives of those around her. She is a part of a community that believes in decreasing the barriers that the people in our state face, by increasing opportunities for people to get active in southern West Virginia.
Thank you, Lori, we are so happy to have you on our team!
