UW Wellness Center in Half Acre Now Open

The Wellness Center is now open at the University of Wyoming Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center.

Located in the southwest part of Half Acre, the Wellness Center was completed during a two-year renovation and remodel project. Open Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., it is a “free zone” that does not require gym membership.

“There has been a vision for the Wellness Center since the plans for the renovation and remodel of Half Acre began,” says Lena Newlin, assistant director of wellness. “We really wanted to have a place that focused on holistic health and wellness, to have a place that would promote health and support the university community in being healthy.”

One of the programs being offered by the center is a Wellness Wednesday Speaker Series, which will feature important health and wellness topics.

The series is free and open to the university community. Each presentation will be Wednesday during the academic year from noon-1 p.m. in the Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center classroom. 

Topics and speakers for the fall 2015 semester are:

-- Nov. 18: “Happy, Healthy Holidays: How to Eat Well Over the Holidays,” Brittney Kupec, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

-- Dec. 2: “Holiday Shopping on a Budget,” the UW Financial Wellness committee.

-- Dec. 9: “Going Home for the Holidays: Tips for Surviving the Holiday Stress,” the University Counseling Center.

Other programs sponsored by the Wellness Center include health assessment and screenings, athletic training, health leadership certification program, educational materials and various workshops. The center also sponsors free fruit Fridays and a monthly prize drawing for center users.

Additionally, the Wellness Center has a consultation room, drop in meditation Tuesdays from 12:15-12:45 p.m. in the “Zen Den” and Alcohol Screenings Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m.

Most services in the Wellness Center are free; however, personal trainers, massage therapy and rental of chair massage services do have costs.

“We are still in the process of developing the center and will be adding things as we can,” Newlin says. “We will have a grand opening sometime in the spring, but we are currently offering a variety of programs and services this semester. We invite the campus community to come check us out.”

The center hopes to offer other services and programs in the spring, such as cooking classes, she adds.

For more information about the Wellness Center, visit www.uwyo.edu/wellness.