The College of Charleston’s PARCS (Physically Active Residential Communities and Schools) program successfully completed its pilot semester during spring 2011 and organizers hope to continue in the fall. PARCS is a community wellness program that was designed and implemented in peninsular Charleston to offer free physical activity programming to underserved populations.
Nearly 30 Charleston residents took advantage of the free training sessions offered at the Arthur Christopher Community Center on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. They could attend as many sessions per week as they desired and student wellness coaches personalized the training sessions for each participant.
“This program is really a win-win for everyone involved,” says Tim Scheett, one of the programs coordinators and a professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance. “Students are getting a great capstone experience, the participants were sad to see us go, and we were helping to fill a need in the community. Unfortunately, the program isn’t sustainable and we are working to find resources to not only continue it next semester, but also to extend the duration and add additional sites.”
Charleston’s PARCS program is based on one developed at Indiana University – Purdue University, Indianapolis. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity on a weekly basis to improve health, and in the Charleston area, the obesity rates of adults reached an all-time high in 2008, with 50-54% of adults classified as obese.
Faculty and students in the Department of Health and Human Performance spent most of the 2010-11 academic year planning and organizing the program including hosting focus groups with the PARCS Indianapolis creator, coordinating with the City of Charleston, and conducting training sessions with students.
For more information, contact Tim Scheett at 843.953.6538 or scheettt@cofc.edu.
