“We moved The Well to create a more central location for students,” said Bruce Lynch, director of Student Wellness at Elizabethtown College, of the relocation of The Well to BSC 248. And the health center’s initiative, to help as many students as possible, seems to be a success.
In the first three days of this semester, approximately 100 students visited The Well in its new location compared to last year’s 14 in the old location near the Thompson Gym.
This location seems to be ‘more accessible,’ said Lynch.”
The Well was moved to an area where there are other student offices and where most students visit every day — Marketplace is in the same general area. This location seems to be “more accessible,” said Lynch.
In addition to the new location, Amanda Cheetham, health educator at the College, mentioned the updated initiatives that The Well is planning to implement. There is a new resource library with topic sources ranging from LGBTQ to body image. The Wellness Wagon, “Wellness on Wheels,” is a portable version of The Well that will travel around the BSC and across campus so students can conveniently grab medicine. The IronJay competition, sponsored by The Well, is a fitness challenge for Elizabethtown College students, faculty and staff. Other initiatives, including a RED ZONE football obstacle course and mental health awareness week, will come later in the semester.
Everything is free at The Well, said Lynch. All resources, medicine, peer educator help, counseling services and health promotion items are no charge for students. The most common item students tend to utilize is the bio measure machine, which shows height, weight, BMI and body fat percentage, said Cheetham. Students can stop by during office hours and get a printout of their measurements.
It’s is “a good place to go first if you are unsure,” says Cheetham, of The Well. There is a Student Wellness Advocate Group (SWAG) member on duty during office hours who can help assist students with questions or needs or to help refer students to counseling or a nurse. “It is fun to plan events and programs for my peers and (be) interactive with the entire student population,” said SWAG member Melissa Nanna.
The Well is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to2 p.m. Friday. For more information, visit The Well, in BSC 248.