I’m chatting today with Bruce Guillaume, founder of the Mountain Challenge and Fit.Green.Happy® programs based at historic Crawford House on the Maryville College campus. You are celebrating 30 years of programs that promote healthy lifestyles in a healthy environment. Briefly, in your own words, how did all this get started?
“It started for the simplest of reasons – I wanted a certain kind of work life -> informal [jeans and t-shirts], flexible [ability to go for a bike ride mid-day, ski when there’s snow] based on and in the outdoors and activity. And I hoped we could even make a bit of money.”
Whether college students are fulfilling the need for a fitness class with Mountain Challenge or businesses are using Fit.Green.Happy® to improve employee morale, people leave changed. Why do you think that is?
“There is a correlation between the introduction of smartphones and related technologies [social media, etc.] and time spent using these technologies and a general ‘slowing down’ over the past 15 years or so. By slowing down, I mean that more screen time generally correlates with more sedentary indoor time. And it’s noticeable.”
The Crawford family donated their family home, and you’ve been able to make it LEED Gold-certified, and even offset all your energy needs with solar. How would you describe this unique office or center for programming?
“It’s a 150-year-old homestead! And it comes with all the joys and headaches that come with old homes. On the one hand, it lends itself well to informality and rocking chairs. On the other hand, making one physical change to the house usually leads to 3 more!”
What do you hope the next 30 years bring to these programs and this unique space?
“I would like to see us become a bigger garden [food, pollinators, etc] producer. I would also like to see that we’ve reversed the general ‘slowing down’ and more people are outside more often. Finally, we’ve just started exploring the connections between environmental work, aging well, intergenerational actions, and mental health. We call the effort The Geezer Project. I have high hopes for it.”
The best way for people to connect about the Mountain Challenge or Fit.Green.Happy®?
Websites Fit. Green. Happy. – Education, access, and resources to help people get fitter, greener, and happier. HOME | Mtnchallenge or 865-981-8125.
Anne Brock-Rankin is Marketing Coordinator for Solar Alliance, a renewable energy company that installed solar and energy storage for Crawford House. She can be reached at abrock@solaralliance.com.
Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook and Instagram. Get all KnoxTNToday articles in one place with our Free Newsletter.
