Vicki Schmolka
KGA Champion
Founder of Cycle Kingston
City of Kingston Councillor
Stories
Kari Galasso and Active Poling
There certainly won’t be any moss growing under the feet of KARI GALASSO anytime soon!
KARI is a going concern! Her passion is URBAN POLING, but she can be found cycling, jogging, weight training, coaching volleyball or soccer or teaching classes in URBAN POLING or personal fitness.
Queen’s degrees in physical education and health were natural for her since her family has always been involved in sports and physical activity. Throughout her formal education she was very active, and after graduation in 1983 worked in the corporate fitness world. She is the owner of her own business, Fit to the Core based in Kingston.
Kari would tell you that POLING is the best total body exercise there is! It beats walking because the correct action of the poles helps to develop upper body strength and core fitness which plain walking or even power walking don’t do.
Kari prefers POLING on the Cataraqui Trail, the K & P Trail and the Rideau Trail, but she can occasionally be spotted downtown or near the Kingston Family YMCA with her poles. She looks like she’s doing cross-country skiing! The ski poles have little “boots” on the bottom to give traction with the ground.
According to www.urbanpoling.com, “Urban Poling – also called Nordic walking, Exerstriding, or pole walking, – combines the aerobic and strength building benefits of cross-country skiing with walking. This full-body, cardio-muscular exercise that engages the arms, back, stomach, and legs. This combination promotes circulation, correct breathing, burns more calories than walking alone and develops total body coordination and improved posture; All in a dynamic way that is applicable to a healthy lifestyle.”
Kari’s active lifestyle contributes to an upbeat, positive attitude toward life that is catching! When you’re with Kari, you can’t help but want to get out there and BE ACTIVE!
Bernard Gates: A True Inspiration
Bernie, for short, is an 83 year old man born in England. Trained as a Mill Wright, Bernie came to Canada in 1957 to work on the Avro Arrow. While on vacation in 1969, he came to Kingston for a visit and fell in love with the water and right away told his wife, this was the place for them.
Physical activity is more than important; it’s been his way of life for as long as Bernie can remember. He has never smoked a day in his life and neither has his wife. In fact it was physical activity that brought Bernie and his wife together in the first place. The pair met while on a cycling race in England.
He had never thought of himself as a role model, but he does want to encourage young people to get active and stay active. Bernie is physically active, simply because he enjoys it. Not only does Bernie cycle, but he is also accomplished in running, cross-country skiing, bowling, square dancing and sailing.
Bernie enjoys being active in the community, leading cycle rides for the Rideau Trail Association, along with heading up a hiking program. His fifty years of experience as a mill wright, comes in handy, when he helps out with trail maintenance. One of his favourite bike rides is around Amherst Island. His picture was taken on a gorgeous fall day.
Bernie definitely contributes physical activity to his excellent health and believes that age is a state of mind. You are only as old as you feel and he feels great except for a knee injury that has him waiting for a replacement knee which is coming soon. He can’t wait to get his surgery and get out cycling again.
Bernie has no regrets and would live life exactly the same if he had to do it again!
