Chemeketa Community College Employee Wellness

Today's the day — lace up, because Two Trails Home officially begins!

Over the next 10 weeks, we're walking 6,400 miles together: east along the historic Oregon Trail, then home with Lewis & Clark to the Oregon coast and back to Salem. Every step you take adds to our group total and moves us further down the trail. No one could make this journey alone — but together, we will.

This week — Week 1: The Snake River Plain
We leave the Willamette Valley, pass the End of the Oregon Trail in Oregon City, climb over the Blue Mountains, and drop into Idaho's high desert toward the Three Island Crossing and Fort Hall. Our goal by Sunday: 707 miles as a team.
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How it works:

Walk at whatever pace feels good — every mile counts, and all fitness levels belong here.
All activity counts. However you exercise, track your activity. If you exercise in a way that doesn't track steps (for example, strength training, gardening or Pilates), you can use a step converter.
Most phones and watches track your distance; if yours counts steps, about 2,000 steps = 1 mile.
You will receive a Google Form on Monday morning for you to enter your steps.

Watch your inbox each Tuesday for a dispatch on how far we've traveled and the next landmark ahead. The trail starts at our own front door — see you out there. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScan2jdqDSxJ5q-2IHVMvEiijcfdj_onxTDDO-LOtHNdOTx3g/viewform?usp=send_form

Join us for our Summer Walking Challenge- Two Trails Home. We will work together to "walk" 6,400 miles together by the end of August. We'll retrace the Oregon Trail east, then follow Lewis & Clark's path back home to the Pacific. Good news for modern travelers: nobody dies of dysentery on this trail. We're just walking ourselves a little healthier, one step at a time.

Here's how it works: you log your steps, whether it’s from walking or any other sort of activity, each week (phone, watch, or pedometer all work), and we add everyone's steps together to move our group dot across the map. Each Monday you'll get a quick dispatch on where we've landed — Chimney Rock, the Continental Divide, the Gateway Arch, and beyond.

All paces and fitness levels are welcome. The more of us who join, the farther we'll get. If you would like a walking buddy, please reach out to Tim Pierce or Allison Sherman.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScan2jdqDSxJ5q-2IHVMvEiijcfdj_onxTDDO-LOtHNdOTx3g/viewform?usp=send_form

See you on the trail!

Wellness Walkabout 2026. We danced in the Studio, played math games in the Math Hub, attempted pickleball in Bld. 7, enjoyed student art in the Gretchen Schuette Art Gallery, potted plants at the Greenhouse, spun a wheel in the Library and collected a self-care bag from the Counseling Center.

Thanks to everyone who participated, helped out and/or hosted an “stop” on the Walkabout. It takes a community of people who care to make events like this happen. Wellness matters, especially at work❤️🙌

Join us tomorrow (5/28) for our annual Wellness Walkabout! You can visit up to 7 locations for interactive activities. You choose the length & time of your walk - start any time between 11:30 and 1:00pm in the Bookstore.

Chemeketa Employees can use the Employee Assistance program (EAP) partner, Canopy. It is a free and confidential benefit for you and your family members provided by Chemeketa. To connect with Canopy directly, please visit their website at www.canopywell.com, call 800-433-2320, or text 503-850-7721.

Canopy offers counseling, coaching, wellbeing tools, identity theft consultation, financial coaching and more.

Save lives tomorrow (Thursday 5/14) at Chemeketa! We have day two of our blood drive in Building 7. All presenting donors will get a $20 Amazon gift card, AND we have a drawing for 5 winners for the Life is Good x Red Cross T-shirts!

You make a lifesaving difference when you come. Thank you so much for jumping in. You can sign up here:

https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Chemeketa

Drop by building 7 before 1 PM to see you can get you in as a walk-in.

www.redcrossblood.org

Mental health is physical health. Whether it’s finding ways to be active, connecting with your community, or remembering to drink water, small wins matter.

Find free tools and ways to get involved this at mhanational.org/may

Announcing an upcoming Wellness Workshop: Stress Friend or Foe
*Thursday, 4/23 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm
*Building 7, Room 105
*CRN 84722

Everyone experiences stress - there is no escaping it, but maybe there is a way to develop a better relationship with it so that your reaction to stress is a positive one. In this class, you will learn tips on how to best handle stress and how to change your relationship with it. Presented by Salem Health. Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash

Rest easy, Pam ❤️

Surrounded by family and George Fox colleagues, Dr. Pam Fifer, dean of the College of Nursing, entered into the presence of our Lord on Friday following a courageous battle with cancer.

“Dr. Pam Fifer was simply one of the finest leaders in my time at George Fox University,” said President Robin Baker. “She was committed to the vision, to students, and to developing the most outstanding nurses in the Northwest. She loved her team and her students and the Lord foremost.

“Pam provided a faithful testimony to the Lord during her final hours, and we can only say that she has been ushered into the presence of God. We will miss her and we thank the Lord for the time she faithfully served George Fox's mission.”

Memorial service details are forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you consider a gift to the Pamela J. Fifer Memorial Endowed Nursing Scholarship: https://bit.ly/4tgtBX1