Every Step Counts Running Program

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Every Tuesday and Thursday, 3 to 4:30 pm

Every Wednesday and Friday, 3:30 to 5 pm

Women's Only Run now available

Every Step Counts is a unique running and walking program founded by the Victoria Foundation and hosted at the Victoria Cool Aid Society. The innovative program is designed for people experiencing barriers and challenges with housing, mental health, addiction and other related issues. It is positive and unique, drawing on the wide-reaching and long-lasting benefits of exercising and team work to foster self esteem, confidence, energy and healthy lifestyle choices.

Recruits and community participants meet twice a week. We run, enjoy yoga-based stretches followed by delicious and healthy snacks. Short talks are given on various topics such as correct running form, healthy eating and tips and tricks. Check out our photo gallery online and our Second Anniversary page.

Click here to listen to an interview with Gillie Easdon on CFAX 1070.

More about Every Step Counts

Every Step Counts kicked off on February 17, 2009 and has drawn a diverse group of enthusiastic individuals who come out regularly to build their fitness, fun and friendships. Conceived and spearheaded by the Victoria Foundation, Every Step Counts is run by the Victoria Cool Aid Society and Frontrunners.

New walkers and runners join weekly. Every Step Counts is a welcoming, non-judgmental and energetic group.

Participants have cited longer sleeps, reduced anxiety, weight loss, increased energy, improved moods, new friends, more compassion, to list a few of the benefits they are experiencing.

Find this story and more on Cool Aid's YouTube channel.

Frontrunners has supplied gently used runners for all new recruits. At ten sessions, participants are awarded a certificate and shirt, and at fifteen, they are kitted out with new running shoes. Ongoing donations of running gear and other incentives are always gratefully appreciated.

Sixteen of the Every Step Counts (ESC) Crew walked and ran in the Times Colonist 10K on April 26! It was a beautiful day with over 10,000 participants. ESC won 1st place for non-profit/charity Team! What a day! Read Canadian Running Magazine's July edition that features Every Step Counts. Twenty-two ESC members participated in the Canada Day Sidney 5k and Bruce won 1st place in his age category! Check out the photos from this fun filled day.

This story provided courtesy of Shaw TV Victoria. Find this story and more on Cool Aid's YouTube channel.

Tim's Story: Initative and Change where Every Step Counts

Every Step Counts Logo Stepping off the city street into a downtown Victoria gymnasium a couple Decembers back, I encountered a diverse group of people enjoying a Christmas social in their warm environs. Though I knew no one, I was quickly made welcome and introduced all round, and encouraged to dig into the sumptuous holiday fare. Amidst the laughter and chatter, I felt accepted. As a person newly in recovery from nearly two decades of chronic alcoholism, that was both foreign and heartwarming.

This organization, the Victoria Cool Aid Society's “Every Step Counts” running and walking program, would come to have a huge and profound impact on my life, as it continued to reach out to a growing segment of Victoria's population confronted with the every-day challenges of homelessness, mental health and addiction issues, social isolation, and both marginalization and poverty, through the healthy medium of running/walking.

Every Step Counts was born out of an idea, an identified need and a crucial grant from the Victoria Foundation, which collaborated with the Victoria Cool Aid Society and a local business – Frontrunners Victoria – to bring this wonderfully positive, accepting, and inclusive group into existence on February 17, 2009. Both mentoring from staff and volunteers, combined with friendly and encouraging peer-support, have proven to be pillars of the program. Within this environment, participants feel free to foster friendships, they learn the value of teamwork, and risk challenging debilitating social barriers.

But mostly they have fun, while experiencing the rewards of consistent exercise, proper nutrition, and positive social interactions such as improved self-esteem and heightened confidence, not to mention increased fitness levels! Participants move from being sideline spectators to being vital, contributing members of a vibrant, dynamic, winning team.

Every Step Coun Tim and friend ts celebrated its third birthday in February of 2012. In addition to opening its doors to three groups weekly, the program regularly sponsors runners in FrontRunners training clinics and is consistently well-represented in local feature races such as the Times Colonist 10K and the Good Life Fitness Half Marathon and 8K events, garnering some fame for participation. An annual fundraising gala is the highlight of the year. Every Step Counts 2012 sponsors include: Victoria Foundation, Frontrunners, Jawl Foundation, Bosa Properties and Victoria Cool Aid Society.