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New Year’s Inspiration—Whistler style

Looking to give back, get fit or otherwise get down to business in 2019? Here is some motivation to stick with your resolutions through January and beyond
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Every year when January rolls around, the conversation inevitably turns to New Year’s resolutions.

Some people make the same ones year after year, while others avoid making any entirely. Some with steel determination wake up January first, ready to create new habits and smash their goals. For others, the leftover Christmas cookies, stocking treats and half-empty bottles of wine are too tempting to toss in the trash before the holidays officially come to an end. Moreover, as Pique editor Clare Ogilvie pointed out in last week’s editorial, only eight per cent of resolution makers actually follow through, according to Forbes.

But now, with the leftover glitter and popped balloons swept up from New Year’s eve parties, kids back to school and regular programming fully in effect, it’s time to stop procrastinating.

Here’s a dose of inspiration to get to work—and follow through—on those resolutions.

GIVE BACK

Most, if not all resolutions, have to do with becoming a better version of yourself. If you’re resolved to spend more time giving back to the community, there’s numerous ways do so in Whistler. Whether your skills lean towards sports, arts, working with children, working with animals or even quilting, there is somewhere in the valley where those skills can be put to use. Here are just a few of them:

RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER VILLAGE HOST: Village Hosts are based in the village to assist visitors from all over the world. They provide guidance, direction and general information, while promoting community events. Best of all, they get to share the spirit of Whistler, with a smile.

WHISTLER ANIMALS GALORE (WAG): Whistler’s animal shelter—voted favourite non-profit yet again in Pique’s 2018 Best of Whistler competition—is always in need of volunteers to help its staff care for the four-legged residents looking for forever homes. Roles range from cat enrichment and dog walking to helping with fundraising events, transporting animals or even fostering a dog or cat, if your living situation allows for it.

WHISTLER ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAM (WASP): Whistler Adaptive, or WASP, introduces individuals with a disability to sport, recreation and therapeutic sport programming.

The local organization serves approximately 600 athletes a year and offers 18 different sports. WASP recently surpassed a fundraising goal of $40,000 needed to offer an additional 1,000 lessons a year up from its current schedule of 3,000 per year—all with just two full-time, year-round employees.

"The only way we can grow is to dramatically increase our volunteer pool,” WASP executive director Chelsey Walker told Pique in a recent interview.

WHISTLER COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY (WCSS): Volunteer opportunities at WCSS can include working with Whistler’s Food Bank, its hot lunch program, the Food Skills and Nutrition Program; or at the Re-Use-It Centre, Re-Build-It Centre; during Connect Whistler Week, with the Volunteer Income Tax Program, Peer Educator Program and other special events.

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB: Missed the cutoff for purchasing a Whistler Blackcomb season pass this winter? A complimentary pass is just one of the perks that comes along with volunteering for the mountain. Volunteers commit to completing 23 volunteer shifts over the course of the season. They can work in mountain safety, as a mountain host or an event host.

BIG BROTHERS SEA TO SKY: According to its website, “The Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program provides kids and young people with a role model to talk to and share the experiences of growing up with.” The pair develop a relationship through regular outings, all while supported by the organization’s case-workers. The mentoring program typically requires two regularly scheduled outings a month of a few hours each and a minimum of a one year commitment. The organization also offers an in-school mentoring program that provides youth with a role model and a friend to talk to and share the experiences of growing up, within school grounds. Mentors will meet with their mentees for one hour a week throughout the school year, during which they can play board games, do crafts or just hang out on school grounds.

Some of the other local organizations that depend on volunteers include the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE), the Whistler Public Library, the Howe Sound Women’s Centre, the Whistler Naturalists Society, Arts Whistler, the Whistler Valley Quilters’ Guild, the Whistler Search and Rescue Society, and The Zero Ceiling Society of Canada.

GET FIT

Most Whistlerites don’t need much convincing to get up in the mountains for some fun outdoor activity—after all, isn’t that why most of us are here? But if you’re resolved to spend fewer mornings hitting the snooze button and more getting up and at ‘em for first chair, a foolproof way is to make plans with a buddy. The snooze button is far less tempting when hitting it means you’ll be letting a friend down.

There’s no shortage of facilities and programs in Whistler to help you train for that next big race or powder day either, from Meadow Park and Whistler Creek Athletic Club to Altitude Fitness and Opus Athletics—Google these and others to find out what fits your style.

If your resolutions don’t include incorporating more fitness into your weekly schedule, consider vowing to try something different, instead, whether it’s cycling class at TAG Cycling in Creekside, signing up for a round of boot camp or a running group, indoor rock climbing at the Core, trading the downhill skis for cross-country or connecting with your inner Cirque du Soleil performer at Treeline Aerial.

One way to commit to your fitness is to sign up for a race or event—once you’re in, you can’t back out. The Whistler Half Marathon has several events of varying distances suitable for every level of runner. Set to take place on June 1, there’s plenty of time to train, too. If you’re looking to spend more time on the trails, check out the Coast Mountain Trail Series, with six different events and even more distances to choose from—including the Whistler Alpine Meadows 175-kilometre race in September, if you’re feeling particularly ambitious.

If you’re brave enough, the Ironman Canada triathlon is returning once again to Whistler on July 28th, too.

GET DOWN TO BUSINESS

If your 2019 resolution includes finally launching that business idea you’ve had tucked away in the back of your mind, there’s several communal work spaces in Whistler available for you to get down to business (because we all know how tempting Netflix can be when you’re working from your couch). Check out THE NETWORK SPACE, SPACE or EIGHTYONE WHISTLER in the Summit Lodge.

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