North Country Wellness Center has New Manager

Mary Perkins in the Wellness Center fitness facility.

When Mary Perkins walked into her new office as the manager of North Country Hospital’s Wellness Center on May 21, she knew that she had some mighty big shoes to fill. She was taking over for a retiring Sue Alward, a woman who not only led the Wellness Center for 25 years, but was the person who built it from the ground up to a respected community institution. It is a challenge that Perkins accepts and looks forward to with boundless enthusiasm.
“Right now I can say for the first time in being in the workforce I completely love doing what I’m doing,” Perkins said. “It allows me to bring wellness ideas to the hospital and to the community, and this job allows me to be creative and work with people.”
Although Perkins is new to the position, she isn’t new to North Country. During the past several months she has worked as the Community Health Educator, a Community Health Writer, as well as the Tobacco Prevention Coordinator and Fit & Healthy Coordinator. In her multitude of roles she stayed up to date with the latest research around tobacco use, tobacco cessation, nutrition, and physical activity. She also I prepared lesson plans and gathered materials to present programs to area preschools, elementary schools, after-school classes, high schools, Girl Scouts, and 4-H clubs. In addition, she also prepared presentations for community events such as Senior Citizens Day, Ladies Afternoon, community fairs, and school open houses.
People who read the Newport Daily Express probably recognize her name. She writes a column called Healthy You. The weekly column provides readers with up-to-date, useful information to make healthy choices in their everyday lives. Although the demands of the Wellness Center is forcing her to relinquish many of her other roles at the hospital, she is thrilled that she can continue her passion – writing, including her column. She intends to continue to use her talents to keep people informed about the latest health news and to promote healthy living. She hopes to maintain the contacts she has made in her previous position in this new position.
“I look forward to utilizing all of my relationships that I have developed since I arrived at North Country,” Perkins said. “They have all been so valuable to me and the community.”
Perkins is no stranger to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Born and raised on a dairy farm in Irasburg, Perkins went on to graduate from Lyndon State College with a B.S. in Psychology. She holds teaching licenses in elementary education, special education, and language arts. She taught for 19 years, teaching all levels except for kindergarten. She and her husband, Raymond, are parents to five children ranging from 10 to 30 years old. Raising Pomeranian dogs and Ragdoll cats, and attending basketball games and dance competitions are only a few of her hobbies. She looks forward to becoming a first-time grandmother in December.
The Wellness Center’s financial manager, Merrilyn Barry, who also serves as the Director of Volunteers at North Country, will work closely with Perkins as she did with Alward. Barry does all the registrations and the 1001 things that help keep the Wellness Center functioning smoothly.
“Merrilyn is a lot of help,” Perkins said. “I look forward to working with her.”
Perkins leaves little doubt that she has tremendous respect for Sue Alward. “I have the utmost respect for what she has done with the Wellness Center. I plan to continue what she started.”
The concept of the Wellness Center began in 1981 when North Country’s board of trustees began to look into the future of healthcare. Instead of just looking at the treatment of illnesses and injuries, the board committed North Country to helping people in the community remain healthy.
The Wellness Center held its first classes in February 1982. In the early years the fitness classes were held wherever there was a free space – churches and school gyms were two common locations. Since those first seven classes were held, many changes have taken place. The Wellness Center now offers 25 classes a week, most of them in its own 1,500 square foot, natural lit fitness facility with a floating wood floor. Situated in the former Prouty and Miller Building at the corner of the Crawford Farm Road and the I-91 Access Road, the facility is used by participants in the Newport area. However, The Wellness Center continues to hold fitness classes in surrounding communities such as Orleans and Troy to ensure everybody’s needs are met.
Each year about 2,000 participants sign up for dozens of classes, some of which are free while others cost a nominal fee. Among the many classes are: exercise, dance, swimming, weight control, stress management, first aid, CPR, nutrition, effective parenting, smoking cessation, and the popular babysitting course for would-be baby sitters. There are also a number of support groups for people trying to cope with life challenges whether it be cancer, diabetes or the death of a loved one. Among some of the new offerings so far this year are: Aroma Therapy, Food Safety for Expectant Moms, Complementary Medicine, Island Girl Hula workout, and Introduction to Golf.
Over the years The Wellness Center organized many projects, and Health and Safety Fairs through its facilitation of the Heart Healthy Vermont project and Traffic Safety O.N.E. The latter played a major role in helping to reduce local teen deaths from drinking and driving.
The Wellness Center of North Country Health System is a community venture. Since its inception, it has worked closely with other agencies and groups in the region to provide a broad range of programs. Cooperating agencies include the American Cancer Association, American Red Cross, Area Agency on Aging, Newport City Recreation Department, Northeast Kingdom Human Services, Vermont Department of Health, Vermont State Police, the Indoor Recreation of Orleans County (IROC), Northeast Kingdom Community Action, Orleans & Northern Essex VNA & Hospice, UVM Extension System, the Vermont Department of Health, Northeastern Vermont AHEC and the American Diabetes Association.
The Wellness Center has been used as a model for other healthcare establishments around the state. It has also been recognized with a number of statewide awards for promoting healthy living and healthy lifestyles.
Thinking back in time, Perkins’ said she can’t imagine the challenges that Alward must have faced when she not only took over the position, but built it from the ground up. She was also challenging the general concept of healthcare. At that time most people looked at heath systems, including North Country, as a place to be healed, whether from an accident or injury. Today people are far more aware of the importance of preventative healthcare.
Although much will stay the same at the Wellness Center she has some ideas of her own to bring to the center. Most importantly, she is excited to add more classes directed at teenagers. Teaching people at a young age about preventative healthcare and healthy living is the key to life long health.
Quoting from the words of Dr. Kenneth Cooper, a leading expert on fitness, Perkins said, “It’s easier to maintain your health than to regain it.”
In the coming months she hopes to hold an opening house at the Wellness Center celebrating 25 years of providing community wellness.

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