UMBC Wellness Initiative

Success Stories : July 2012

Sarah Leupen

This year, our family signed up for a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
In a CSA, a local farmer delivers fresh, organic produce to a pickup site near you
every week during the growing season.

The amount and types of produce vary with the season; this week we got lettuce, red
cabbage, basil, garlic, cauliflower, beets, yellow squash, and Swiss chard. We love
the freshness (unlike produce from CA that takes 7-10 days to get here, our produce
is picked the day before we get it), that we can afford organic vegetables this way,
that we're eating more veggies than we would otherwise, that we get to try new
veggies. Also, much less energy is spent getting our food to us. It's a win for us,
the farmers, and the planet!

Sarah Leupen
Lecturer
Biological Sciences

STUDENT BUSINESS SERVICES STRESS RELIEVER

Club Maebelline’s was born out of a need to relieve pressure. We come together and dance to our favorite songs, usually from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. (Dancing ability is truly in the eye of the beholder! This is what really makes it fun.) There are few inhibitions! As the sound of people saying, ‘Oh, yeah,’ ‘Ahhh’ and ‘Awright, Go Head’ drifts through the office more people gather. Some dance, some laugh, some run away (not wanting to show their moves just yet), some just watch and others pull out cell phone video cameras. It lasts for about 5 minutes. Then we disperse back to our desks feeling happy for having had that moment, relaxed, and energized. It’s a stress-reliever and team builder in one, and it’s great!

Mae Golden
Supervisor, Bursar's Office/Student Billing