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OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

Your Westside Community Connection

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index 5 Aga�na’s sauce - Family is the special ingredient A Westside News, Inc. Publica�on Publisher Keith Ryan Managing Editor Gary Sajdak Email: gary.sajdak@westsidenewsny.com

Contribu�ng Writers & Photographers Barbara Burke, Maggie Fitzgibbon, Colleen Onuffer, Tami Raco, John Robortella Joe Territo Adver�sing 585-352-3411 Lori Antonelli ext. 133 Rachel Blair ext. 139 Debbie Day ext. 131 Tami Raco ext. 129 Mary Lou Rockow ext. 134 Gary Sajdak ext. 135 Ellen Stevens ext. 130

6 Family & Community - The return of Stone’s Countryside Tavern 8 Gates Chili Chamber’s Community Awards Gala 9 Byron Bergen vocalists join RPO 10 Roberts Wesleyan athletes receive award from NCAA 12 Merante honored by New York State West Soccer 13 GCC Alum appears on NBC’s The Voice 14 Dave Thomas - Rochester’s Pickleball Ambassador 16 Town of Gates Recrea�on & Parks News 17 How to prepare your yard & garden for winter 18 How to turn exercise into habit in 5 steps

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by Gary Sajdak Driving through the intersec�on of Buffalo and Elmgrove Roads in Gates, you can smell the boiling pot of tomato sauce emana�ng from the kitchen at Aga�na’s Restaurant. You can be sure that owner Pat Fornataro is there, in his apron, preparing the secret family recipe for the evening dinner crowd. Since 1984, Rochester area foodies have enjoyed the family’s sauce in their meals. Today, as a result of customer’s requests, you can get their favorite sauce at major local supermarkets and retail loca�ons. “Customers would ask to buy our sauce by the quart,” says owner Barbara Fornataro. “Our tradi�onal sauce was so much in demand that we looked into bo�ling it.” With the produc�on and marke�ng help of Paulie Gugliamo, owner of Cra� Cannery (Formerly Permac) in Bergen, Aga�na’s introduced their Tradi�onal Tomato and Vodka sauces, in jars, ready for retail. In addi�on to being available for sale at the restaurant, the Aga�na’s team began selling their sauce at the Greece Ridge Mall Farmer’s Market. Pre-COVID-19, the family wanted to do something different to keep the restaurant name relevant, and find a way to make their sauce and food available to their customers. “We wanted to do something different,” said Marcy Fornataro, “So we purchased and customized a food truck to take on loca�on at fes�vals, events, food truck rodeos, and at the Public Market.” Offering their famous Arancini Rice Balls, Chicken Parm Sliders, Chicken French Bites and Homemade Meatballs, the truck became a fan favorite.

In the middle of 2020, during COVID-19 shutdown, Manager Marcy Fornataro started pounding the pavement, visi�ng numerous local and regional delis and supermarkets, asking to sell the sauce at their loca�ons. “We had some great response from many loca�ons in the area,” said Fornataro. “Many of the decision makers are our customers, and are aware of the popularity of our sauce, so they agreed to offer our sauce on their shelves.” During the COVID- 19 “shutdown,” Aga�na’s stayed open and were very busy with takeouts. “We didn’t know what to expect during the shutdown,” says Barbara, “We were happy to stayand very busy on Fridays and Saturdays, and the phones were ringing off the hook. We are very thankful to our dedicated staff and customers for their support during this challenging �me.” Marcy says, “We are excited that our dining room is open and people are star�ng to come out more and more. We love seeing our customers in person again.” In addi�on to being available at the restaurant, Aga�na’s sauce can be found at Wegmans, Tops, Calabresellas Deli, ANG Market, Food Town, Rubino’s, Olindo’s, Cu�a’s Deli and more.

My Hometown Oct/Nov 2021 l 5

Provided Photos

Family & Community: A Successful Recipe for Stone’s Countryside Tavern By Colleen Onuffer

Like the mythical phoenix, Stone’s Countryside Tavern on Buffalo Road in Churchville has risen from the ashes - literally. In June of 2020, amidst the global pandemic, a fire broke out in the kitchen of the bar and restaurant. Thinking back to that moment, owner Valerie Chesley said, “We had five separate fire departments here that night. We knew everyone that was here pu�ng out the fire.” Her brother and co-owner, Dan Stone, added, “There was so much light out there, you could see it from space.” The months following the fire was an emo�onal �me for the family. “It was hard to come in here the first couple of months,” said Chesley, no�ng that she grew up at Stone’s. The building was first purchased by Chesley and Stone’s parents over 40 years ago and run as a tavern. In 1985, it transi�oned into a restaurant with the addi�on of the dining room. Truly a family business, Chesley, Stone and their siblings have worked there

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Owners and siblings Valerie Chesley and Dan Stone

throughout the years, as well as aunts, daughters, son in laws, nieces and more. Their dad, now 83 years old, s�ll helps out every day. “People kept stopping in,” said Stone, describing the months a�er the fire when individuals would check in on the family in person and by email. “It helped us amazingly – got us through it.” It took ten months of cleaning, planning and upda�ng to get the restaurant back up and running. Everything in the building Con�nued on pg. 7

But it’s not just the customers that would be disappointed if Stone’s decided not to reopen. “We would be lost without the restaurant,” explained Stone. “You get really close to the families,” said Chesley. The restaurant has proudly waited on genera�ons of families – from great grandparents down to babies. Some customers have been coming for so long, they can almost wait on themselves, joked the owners.

The original building circa 1971

Provided Phota

Con�nued from pg. 6

is brand new, including the layout. One of the most no�ceable differences is the bar, now located along the back wall. The majority of customers love the changes but adjustments that big weren’t easily diges�ble for the family. “Took us a couple of months to like it,” joked Stone. When asked if they ever considered not reopening a�er the fire, Chesley exclaimed, “We couldn’t do that to people!” She added, “We stayed open during COVID and even delivered food to people because they are our family. People were coming in and saying how much they needed to get a nice meal, some normalcy to take the stress off.” Unlike many other restaurants and small businesses, Stone’s was able to successfully stay open during the first months of the pandemic, no�ng it was a very busy �me for them. They were selling 500 fish fries each Friday during Lent, which had been recognized as one of the top five best fish fries in the Rochester area by the Democrat & Chronicle.

Lois and Ted Stone owned the restaurant since 1978

Provided Photo

Stone’s enjoys being a part of the westside community. “We know what’s going on in your lives. You know what’s going on in our lives,” said Stone. “We try to make everyone have a good day.” And having a good day is what they’re doing. “The restaurant business isn’t easy but it’s easy to get up and go to work when you like what you do,” said Stone. Stones Countryside Tavern is located at 6120 Buffalo Rd, in Churchville

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My Hometown Chamber News

Brooke Leary

Jeremy Sajdak

The Gates Chili Chamber of Commerce held its 2021 Annual Community Award Gala on Wednesday, October 20th at Brook Lea Country Club. The awards honor individuals and organiza�ons that have made a significant impact on the quality of life in the Gates and Chili communi�es. This year’s winners are:

Tracy DiFlorio

• Beau�fica�on Award (Chili) – Chili Community Center • Beau�fica�on Award (Gates) – 2320 Lyell Ave LLC • Joseph Entress Memorial Award – C&M Forwarding • Innova�ve Business Award – Micron Industries • Culture and Arts Award – Jenna Caputo, East Coast Training Center

Kelsey Lunt

• Outstanding Ci�zen – Krys�n Le�a, Campaign D • Youth Leadership Award – Brooke Leary • Dream Big Award – Kelsey Lunt, Lunt Chiroprac�c • Young Professional Award – Jeremy Sajdak, La�more Physical Therapy • Lore�a Simmons Women’s Leadership Award – Tracy DiFlorio, Monroe County Legislature

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Krys�n Le�a

My Hometown Schools

Byron-Bergen vocalists join elite RPO Fes�val High School Chorale The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s Fes�val High School Chorale, a group of nearly 200 of the finest vocal talents from more than 30 high schools in a seven-county area, has been part of the popular Gala Holiday Pops concerts every year since 1994. This year, Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School will be represented in the Chorale by eight young vocalists: Hannah Van Skiver, soprano; Esther Wilkins, soprano; Sydney Brown, alto; Stephanie Buell, alto; Joshua Phelps, tenor; Jerome Spinks, tenor; Mason Fuller, bass; and Brian Ireland, bass.

“This is a great group,” said Byron-Bergen’s Vocal Music Director Laurence Tallman. “They have strong, expressive voices, wonderful musical skills, and unusual depth and maturity. Each one is posi�ve, enthusias�c and commi�ed to being the best they can be.” The Fes�val High School Chorale gives young singers an opportunity to take on a program of challenging winter and holiday-themed music, under conductor Jeff Tyzik with co-directors Amy Story and Harold McAulliffe, and accompanied by the full Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Performances will feature guest Denzal Sinclaire, one of Canada’s most popular jazz vocalists who is ranked among the finest jazz singers of his genera�on. The performances will be held in Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre on December 21 at 7:30 p.m., December 22 at 8 p.m. and December 23 at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.RPO.org. Provided informa�on and photo

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My Hometown Oct/Nov 2021 l 9

My Hometown Sports

Roberts Wesleyan athle�cs receives Award of Excellence from NCAA Roberts Wesleyan College student-athletes know the reward of helping others in need. Roberts athle�cs’ partnership with Golisano Children’s Hospital was recognized as the grand prize winner for the 2021 NCAA Division II Award of Excellence at the NCAA Conven�on earlier this year. “As a community, Roberts is commi�ed to gradua�ng women and men who know how to connect their head to their heart and engage their hands in service to others,” said Dr. Deana Porterfield, president of Roberts Wesleyan College. “This is at the core of our mission and work. Our Redhawks have exemplified this connec�on through their commitment to serving the cri�cally ill children of Golisano Children’s Hospital.” The idea for the partnership began during the 2018-2019 basketball season with a fund-raising effort for the Onnie Wells Child Life Fund. Last year, the athle�cs department raised over $10,500 for that fund through a month-long fundraising opportunity within the athle�cs department leading up to a doubleheader basketball game where all money raised was donated to the hospital. All funds raised during the month and at the basketball games were matched by a generous donor and special friend of the Redhawks. “Roberts Wesleyan College athle�cs is honored to receive this pres�gious award from NCAA Division II,” said Bob Segave,

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director of athle�cs. “This is our second �me as a finalist because of the effort that our student-athletes have given to make a difference in our community. Working with Golisano Children’s Hospital has been a rewarding partnership that has provided our student-athletes an opportunity to give back to our community.” Because of their efforts, Athle�cs will receive $2,500. All prize money is intended for future community engagement events. Roberts Wesleyan College’s partnership and event with Golisano Children’s Hospital was one of 67 entries submitted to exemplify the Division II philosophy, iden�ty, community engagement and stu dent-athlete leadership ini�a�ves. A total of 65 ins�tu�ons and two conferences were recognized for their crea�vity in advancing rela�onships within their communi�es. Roberts Wesleyan was the grand prize winner, runner-up was Belmont Abbey College and third place was Texas A&M University-Commerce. Provided informa�on and photos

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MERANTE HONORED BY NEW YORK STATE WEST SOCCER ASSOCIATION By John Robortella Submi�ed Photo

CHILI, NY—Edward Merante, one of the founders and owners of the Rochester Lancers, and the founder of the Chili Home of Li�le Guy Soccer in 1969, has been inducted into the New York State Soccer Western Youth Soccer Associa�on (NYSWYSA) Hall of Fame in recogni�on of his more than five decades of service to young people and youth soccer programs. The announcement was made by Roger J. Best, the Rochester District Commissioner of the organiza�on for over 250 affiliated clubs and leagues in western New York. Based in Corning, N.Y., the associa�on is affiliated with U.S. Youth Soccer and the United States Soccer Federa�on. Mr. Merante started the first boys soccer program in the United States for seven-year-olds in 1968 with four teams. In 1969, the name changed to Chili Soccer Associa�on with the first team of 15- to 18-year-olds known as “The Westsiders.” The team competed against other local teams known as “The Eastsiders” and “The Baysiders.” In 1970, the first intertown season began with about 80 boys who were recruited in response to an idea which Mr. Merante publicized in the local media. Gates, Spencerport, Hilton, Churchville, Sco�sville, Irondequoit, the Town of Greece, East Rochester and the City of Rochester formed teams in 1972. The Chili Soccer Associa�on was chartered and girls’ teams were added. In 1974, the Chili soccer program was recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the North American Soccer League (NASL) as the na�on’s first organized youth soccer program. Also in 1974, the Chili Town Board erected signs at the Chili town borders reading “Welcome to the Home of Li�le Guy Soccer.” In 1983, the Town of Chili dedicated the soccer field in Memorial Park as “Ed Merante Field.” Mr. Merante organized an interna�onal soccer tournament in Chili in October 1990 with Canada, Italy, Russia and the Ukraine par�cipa�ng. The United States was represented by the Chili Soccer Associa�on team. In 2010, Mr. Merante was honored with the naming of the St. Pius the Tenth athle�c field co-dedicated to the Rev. Donald Murphy, the church’s first pastor and founder of St. Pius the Tenth School, and to Mr. Merante.

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Mr. Merante was born in Pentone, Catanzaro, Italy. He emigrated to the United States in 1956 at the age of 20, played for the Italian–American Sport Club team, and served as club comptroller, correspondence secretary and on the board of directors for 26 years. He was a member of the founding commi�ee of five with Tony Pullano, Charlie Schiano, Patsy Frank and Rudy LePore at the Italian–American Sport Club which began the process to secure a professional soccer franchise in the American Soccer League. The team became the Rochester Lancers. Mr. Merante served as a part owner from 1967 to 1985. Mr. Merante has been honored by past Monroe County Manager Gordon Howe, past Rochester Mayor Frank Lamb, past Chili Supervisor James J. Powers, and the Chili Town Board for his dedica�on to the youth soccer program. For 13 years, he took select boys’ and girls’ teams to Italy for interna�onal soccer tournaments. The Chili Town Submi�ed Photo Board dedicated a Wall of Fame in the Recrea�on Building to Mr. Merante. Mr. Merante also has been inducted into the Rochester Rhinos and Rochester Lancers Halls of Fame. A presenta�on ceremony for Mr. Merante will be scheduled at a later date.

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My Hometown Entertainment

GCC alum Samara Brown appears on NBC’s The Voice “I pick John,” she said with a huge smile as she pointed to ar�st John Legend on the September 27 episode of NBC’s The Voice. In August, 32-year-old Samara Brown posted to social media, “I audi�oned for The Voice!” Since then, the staff and faculty at Genesee Community College in Batavia have been on the edge of their seats, wai�ng to see her performance, which is now available online. Her audi�on le� judges John Legend and Ariana Grande figh�ng over who would get to be her coach this season. Samara Brown from Bronx, New York, earned a Theatre Arts degree from Genesee Community College (GCC) in 2009. One of the first �mes western New Yorkers got to see Brown perform on stage was as Pa�ent #2 in a produc�on of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in October of 2007. Then, as a freshman, Brown found her home in GCC’s Stuart Steiner Theatre. Flying onto the scene in April of 2008, literally from the ceiling, as Peter Pan in the college’s performance of Peter Pan-The Musical. Her performances con�nued. As the Village Doctor, Brown played a leading role in bringing the children’s fable, The Incredible Jungle Journey of Fenda Maria to life in March of 2009. From entertaining children to making audiences of all ages laugh in her role in the farce, Noises Off, later that year Brown demonstrated the depths of her singing and ac�ng talents. Then in November of 2009, Brown played Lady in Blue in the

Forum Players performance of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf, by Ntozake Shange, one of the featured shows at the Theater Associa�on of New York State Fes�val (TANYS). The performance was awarded “Excellence in Ac�ng to the Ladies of Color for their Ensemble Work” and received the highest honor, “Best Long Play of 2009,” a great achievement for Genesee’s Theatre Arts program. “In my career specifically, you need two things; technique and talent; I think the technique is definitely what GCC gave me,” said Brown in GCC’s Alumni Spotlight Story. “Samara’s talent was compounded by her drive and her passion performing. She worked hard at rehearsals, she took apart each role she played and fully embraced the character,” said GCC’s Maryanne Arena, Director of the Fine and Performing Arts, who directed Brown in numerous shows and one-act performances as well as cabarets. “Samara is a star whether she is on or off the stage.” GCC’s award-winning Theatre Arts program is designed to expose students to the richness of the performing arts and to provide a solid academic founda�on for further study and career opportuni�es in theatre. Graduates typically transfer to a baccalaureate ins�tu�on as juniors to con�nue their educa�ons. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact GCC’s Career Center for more informa�on.

Provided informa�on and photo

My Hometown Oct/Nov 2021 l 13

Dave Thomas is Rochester’s Pickleball Advocate by Barbara Burke

The Town of Riga’s Recrea�on Supervisor for the last ten plus years, Dave Thomas, has a real love for the sport of Pickleball. He has been involved with the sport since 1983, a�er a chance discovery while a�ending a New York State Physical Educa�on Conference in Syracuse. “In between sessions at the conference, I came across a vendor who was promo�ng the sport of Pickleball, a sport that was taking off in the Sea�le area. It was something that was totally out of the mainstream, and it really stuck with me,” Thomas said. Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Sea�le, Washington. At the �me, Thomas was teaching Physical Educa�on to elementary school students, grades 3-6, in the Greece Central School District. He adjusted the sport for the ages of his students and taught it in his PE classes from 1983 un�l his re�rement in 2005. “I figure I taught it to about 8,000 students. When other schools in the Greece district got wind of what I was doing, it really took off.” A�er his re�rement in 2005, Thomas joined the Westside Family YMCA on Elmgrove Road. “I was winding up my so�ball playing career at that point and looking for another sport to play, I was surprised to see that they offered Pickleball. I signed up because I had never played with adults, I just taught it to

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my students. At that �me there were only two Pickleball courts in Rochester, and they were both located at the Westside YMCA.” A�er playing the sport, Thomas did some research and found out just how popular Pickleball had become across the na�on. He decided he wanted to be more involved, and registered with the USA Pickleball Associa�on (USAPA). The mission statement of USAPA is, “To promote the development and growth of Pickleball in the United States and its territories.” Thomas said, “A�er registering with USAPA, I quickly was named the first U.S. Pickleball Ambassador for Rochester, New York. Basically, the job of the Ambassador is to be the contact for anyone who wants to play the sport. Almost immediately, I started hearing from people from all across the U.S. People who were visi�ng, or moving to New York, snowbirds, everyone who wanted to play, wanted to also know where they could play Pickleball in New York. It just mushroomed, so many people were contac�ng me. With the help of many others, I started spreading the word about all of the interest in the sport, and was involved with bringing Pickleball to any town in the state that was interested. Today we have indoor and outdoor courts in just about every town in the Rochester area. This all grew from having just two courts at the Westside YMCA, now all the YMCAs have Pickleball courts,” Thomas said. Con�nued pg 15

Con�nued from pg.14

In 2017, Thomas was asked to set up an informa�onal table for the Riga Recrea�on Department at the the Newman Riga Library during Churchville’s annual “Walk About.” Churchville’s Mayor at the �me, Nancy Steedman, stopped by with Senator Michael Ranzenhofer. “The senator picked up the Pickleball paddle displayed on the table and said he knew about the sport. Mayor Steedman said we could really use some Pickleball courts in Churchville, and the senator said he would see what he could do about that. I decided at that moment I was going to hold him to his statement,” Thomas said.

Thomas wrote le�ers to both of Ranzenhofer’s offices, in Buffalo and in Albany. He waited six months and didn’t hear back. He then decided to call the office. A representa�ve for Ranzenhofer relayed that the senator did receive the le�ers and asked Thomas about the money needed to make the Pickleball courts happen. Thomas was prepared with detailed informa�on, and a $50,000 grant was secured for the Town of Riga to build a 2-court venue, a joint effort between the Town of Riga and New York State. The courts were built In McNeely Park on Buffalo Road next to the Highway Department. The popularity of the Pickleball courts in Riga is extraordinary, they are busy morning, noon and night. So many people showed up to play that a basketball court, adjacent to the new Pickleball courts, was transformed to a third Pickleball court. The basics of Pickleball state that it is a fun sport combining many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Pickleball is played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis court net. The equipment includes a paddle and a plas�c ball with holes. It can be played as doubles or singles, and can be enjoyed by all ages and skill levels.

Thomas a�ributes the popularity of Pickleball to the fact that it can be played by everyone. “I really feel that those courts saved people during the pandemic. They were in constant use, April through November. It gave people a safe outdoor ac�vity, and a posi�ve experience when it was needed the most. When I first started as a Pickleball Ambassador we made an email list of all the Rochester players. The first list contained eight names, there are now well over 1,000 names on that list. From the original two courts at the Westside YMCA, we now have over 300 indoor and outdoor courts in the Rochester area.” For more informa�on about Pickleball in Rochester contact Dave Thomas at rigarec@townofriga.net For more informa�on about the sport of Pickleball visit usapickleball.org

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My Hometown Oct/Nov 2021 l 15

Historical Driving Tour

Town of Gates Gobble Wobble

Over the span of three weeks, 75 people par�cipated in the first ever “Historical Driving Tour of Gates.” The trip was led by Gates Town Historian, Bill Gille�e, and two Gates Recrea�on & Parks busses made a dozen stops at historical landmarks in town. Stops included Dolomite Quarry, Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, Hinchey Homestead, and a few local businesses. A book called “Driving Through Historic Gates,” which has over 70 historical loca�ons, was given to each a�endee. The feedback from those that went on the trip has been very posi�ve and plans for future driving tours are already in the works! Informa�on and photo provided

Thanksgiving is a holiday that is full of tradi�ons! All of us love �me spent with family, tables full of food, and watching football games. 9 years ago, Gates Police Chief James Vanbrederode and Don Scheg, an employee for the town, decided to start a new tradi�on for the Town of Gates. In 2012, the Gobble Wobble was born! Each year, the very informal Thanksgiving morning run (with lots of walkers too!) seems to get bigger. Over 150 people par�cipated in 2019 and a slightly smaller event was held in 2020 due to COVID. People come out to reconnect with friends and neighbors and get in some exercise before the rest of the day’s fes�vi�es begin. The event is free to a�end, though each year items are collected for a local charity or food bank. This year, toys, games and books will be collected and donated to Golisano Children’s Hospital. The “race” begins at 8:30am, so please arrive no later than 8:15am if you are planning to a�end. Informa�on and photo provided

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16 l My Hometown Oct/Nov 2021

My Hometown Outdoors Warm-season grasses go dormant in winter, so homeowners whose lawns contain these types of grasses won’t want to apply a winterizing fer�lizer. Homeowners who don’t know which type of grass they have or are concerned about when to apply a winterizing fer�lizer should consult with a lawncare professional before fer�lizing. · Remove annuals from the garden. Annuals won’t be coming back in spring, so it’s best to remove ones that are no longer producing from the garden before the arrival of winter. Doing so can prevent the onset of fungal diseases that may adversely affect the garden in spring. Fall is the perfect �me for homeowners who spend months making their lawns and gardens as lush as possible to take steps to prepare such areas for poten�ally harsh winter weather. (Metro)

How to prepare your lawn and garden for winter Winter weather can be harsh. Homeowners who spend much of the year tending to their lawns and gardens may worry that winter will undo all of their hard work. Though homeowners cannot do anything to prevent snow, wind and ice from affecting their proper�es, they can take various steps to prepare their lawns and gardens for whatever winter has in store. · Mulch leaves. Falling leaves are a telltale sign that winter is coming. In lieu of raking leaves as they begin to fall, homeowners can mulch them into their lawns. Sco�s®, an industry leader in lawn care, notes that mulching leaves is a great way for homeowners to recycle a natural resource and enrich the soil of their lawns. While it might not be possible to mulch fallen leaves in late autumn when they begin to fall en masse, doing so in the early stages of fall should be possible so long as the lawn is not being suffocated. Sco�s® recommends mulching the leaves to dime-size pieces to a point where half an inch of grass can be seen through the mulched leaf layer. · Rake leaves as they start to fall more heavily. Once leaves begin to fall more heavily, rake them up and add them to compost piles. The resource GardeningKnowHow.com notes compos�ng leaves creates a dark, rich and organic ma�er that can add nutrients to garden soil and loosen compacted earth. Leaving leaves on the lawn once they start to fall in great numbers makes it hard for grass blades to breathe, and the leaves can block moisture from reaching the soil, which needs water to maintain strong roots. In addi�on, poten�ally harmful pathogens can breed on damp leaves le� on a lawn, and such bacteria can cause significant damage to the turf over �me. · Apply a winterizing fer�lizer. Winterizing fer�lizers can help lawns store food they need to survive through winter and also can help them bounce back strong in spring. Such fer�lizers are typically formulated for cool-season grasses such as fescue and bluegrass and are o�en best applied a�er the final cut of fall.

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My Hometown Oct/Nov 2021 l 17

My Hometown Wellness

Prac�ce journaling: Use a journal either digital or on paper to track your progress and record how you feel a�er you exercise. Use the notes on your phone, a voice recording, an app or a li�le note pad. Simply state a few statements on how you feel. Did you feel like you accomplished something? Did you feel energized? Wri�ng down the posi�ve aspects of how you feel helps shi� your mindset to perceiving exercise as something posi�ve. This, in the long term, will help you make it a lifestyle and not a whim. Find a workout buddy: A workout buddy can add a layer of accountability to help you stay on track and have fun in the process. Enlis�ng a friend, spouse or family member to workout with will help the �me pass faster, make the �me more enjoyable and makes you less likely to blow off a workout. If you cannot find a person who is likely to be as commi�ed as you (or even more commi�ed) consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions a month to help get you on track. Some gyms even offer small workout groups led by a trainer at a less expensive rate than one on one sessions. Treat Yourself: Give yourself small rewards a�er you complete a full week of scheduled workouts. This does not mean a cheeseburger and fries but something small that you like. Set bigger goals like a 1-month goal and a�er you reach that goal treat yourself to a new piece of exercise clothing. By trea�ng yourself for the workouts you are ac�va�ng the pleasure centers in your brain, crea�ng posi�ve pathways linked to the behavior you want to become a lifestyle.

How To Turn Exercise Into A Habit In 5 steps! by Tami Raco, Personal Trainer and Health & Nutri�on Coach

Almost everyone knows that regular physical ac�vity, mindful healthy ea�ng and stress reduc�on are the keys to healthy living. But when it comes to the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, it is difficult to make necessary changes. The one big factor that helps convert a behavior into a lifestyle is consistency. Consistency is the key to long term success. When it comes to making exercise a regular part of your lifestyle, focusing on the posi�ve aspects of change can help make it a more pleasurable experience. This is an important considera�on as the brain rewards what it sees as pleasurable by increasing good mood hormones like dopamine and serotonin. Learning to enjoy the process of physical ac�vity (aka exercise) can help increase these levels making exercise a more rewarding and las�ng experience. Use the five following �ps to help shi� your focus to making exercise an enjoyable and consistent part of your lifestyle. Schedule Your Workouts: Book your workouts into your schedule like you do a professional or health care appointment. If you take the �me to plan your schedule and include �mes for exercise it is more likely to become a habit. Then if something or someone tries to creep into the space you designated for exercise you can say, “Sorry but I have a commitment at that �me.”

18 l My Hometown Oct/Nov 2021

66 Days to the Sweet Spot: There is a big difference between discipline and habit. Habits require less energy than discipline. But you need to put up with the discipline to turn it into a habit. Research on behaviors show that it takes an average of 66 days to acquire a new habit and turn it to the point of “automa�city.” Do not give up too soon. Give it the proper chance to turn from a disciplined effort to a natural part of your life. Do not be a disciplined person. Be a person of powerful habits. Take these steps to help you fix your mind on the posi�ve aspects of exercise and not only will your body improve but so will your percep�on of living a healthier life! www.thewellnessministry.com

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