The Glen partners with YMCA of Northwest Louisiana to support Parkinson’s wellness program
The Glen’s Board of Directors awarded $2,000 through its President’s Award to the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana on June 14. The funds will go toward training instructors for a program called Rock Steady Boxing, which helps older people with Parkinson’s disease improve motor movement, balance and core strength.
“The Glen has always placed an emphasis on wellness, and in partnering with the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, this only solidifies our commitment to exploring all areas of the six dimensions of wellness,” President and CEO Debra Williams said. “Our goal with the President’s Award is to partner and invest in our local community and support older people in our external population. The YMCA’s mission is parallel to ours and fosters an exceptional opportunity for older people in Shreveport-Bossier City.”
Exercises used in Rock Steady are largely based on boxing drills, which condition for optimal agility, speed, hand-eye coordination and overall strength. The funds will be used to support the certification and training costs for instructors to offer classes at the YMCA on Knight Street beginning this summer.
“It’s so important that nonprofits support other nonprofits,” said Gary Lash, CEO of the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana. “By working together, we are able to successfully fulfill the needs of our community and support our collective missions. The [funds] from The Glen will help us do that by empowering seniors in Shreveport-Bossier to fight back against Parkinson’s, no matter their race, religion or socioeconomic background.”
The President’s Award is a scholarship set up by The Glen’s Board of Directors. Each year, the board awards funds based on the needs in the Shreveport-Bossier City community supporting services or programs that benefit seniors.
Past recipients include the Caddo Council on Aging, Hope Connections, Providence House, Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission, Holy Angels Residential Facility, Community Renewal International, the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana and the MLK Health Center and Pharmacy.