Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/84869
WHAT IS WELLNESS? whole positive social environment." Andrews says human beings are hardwired for social ties, which is why they're so vital to our health. "We've evolved to work with each other because we were hunters and gatherers, that's how we survived," she says. "It's not hunter and gatherer. It's always plural— groups of people bonding together to help each other out." well where WAC relationships can lead. The 60-year-old Seattle lawyer, who's been a member since 1995, says boxing classes at the Club not only helped him lose weight and tone up but also provided the impetus for him—and his classmates—to mentor members of the UW boxing team. "We've all tried to do some mentoring and not only support their interest in the sport but help them advance their careers and academic interests," he says. "I've brought some of [the students] into my law firm to do informational interviews; other members have helped them find jobs. There is tremendous satisfaction in making the connection with those who are starting out." Longtime member Cliff Webster knows Cliff Webster finds physical and social outlets through WAC boxing classes. of the young athletes have helped Cliff and his boxing buddies perfect their form and achieve their fitness goals. The mentoring goes both ways. Some TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN Then there's Kevin O'Keefe, a 50-year-old financial adviser who's been part of the WAC's boot camp for the past three years. He's also seen how the Club's social ties boost wellness on a larger scale. This past July, Kevin and a handful of his boot camp connections, including instructor Mary Little, raised more than $17,000 in a Mount Rainier Climb 4 Clean Water, a drive to help provide clean drinking water in developing countries. "We're going to do it every year," Kevin says, noting he plans to keep recruiting from boot camp at the WAC. He says the money raised this year will build four to five wells, each of which will sustain 2,500 to 3,000 people. "That's 12,000 people who now have £ STACI STRINGER Being able to get up in the morning and move with my arthritis is wellness to me. I've been through a lot in the past eight years of my life with all of the autoimmune conditions that have come up. Being able to just get up in the morning and walk is good for me. £ DARIN BARR I see wellness from an athletic standpoint. Negative wellness means I've got a busted ankle and can't play ball for the next four weeks. Being well means I can walk into the gym healthy and walk out healthy. But it's also about the people I meet and the relationships that evolve. Sports lead to happiness on many different levels. £ CLIFF WEBSTER For me, wellness means that when I get up and go about my day, I feel good about myself. I feel wide-awake and full of energy and … good about my ability to move. It's about having the energy to attack your day and feel good about yourself. £ KEVIN O'KEEFE For me, wellness helps you maintain a more positive attitude from a social and physical and spiritual standpoint. It means having a positive attitude as a result of being physically fit and working out. You feel better physically when you work out and you feel happier when you work out. It just makes life easier. £ TAMELA THOMAS A deep-rooted understanding and appreciation of our intimate connection to all things.