NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES

from KCC_ KC Magazine January 2023

RECONNECT WITH YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

New Adventures

Check out these out-of-the-box pastimes for true local enjoyment

By Kevin Druley | Photos by Over the Top Equine, Shaw Media and St. Charles Public Library

f you’re looking for something to simultaneously enrich and relax you as the calendar flips to 2023, a new hobby, by definition, fits the bill. Maybe it stems from your occupation or interests. Perhaps it’s something you’ve always put off. Or it could be an activity you only pondered this week. Whatever the case, here’s to a little hobby glee in ’23.

Fiction, nonfiction, mystery, romance, biography. Whatever your reading interest, there’s a book club for you. Contact your local library to learn more about the variety of services offered. “It’s a great way to connect with others and just to get a different perspective on books that you might not have thought of in the first place,” says Natalie Baddour, a reader services librarian at St. Charles Public Library who oversees book clubs. “I’m always hearing from people in our book discussions, ‘That’s a really good point. I never would have thought of things that way.’ So, it’s not just about a love of reading but also opening up and expanding your thoughts.” You can dance if you want to. You can let your limbs unwind. St. Charles Park District operates a dance academy, with counterpart park districts also offering seasonal classes for aspiring dancers of all ages. Plié online to learn more.

Saddle up. Over the Top Equine in St. Charles offers beginning horseback riding lessons for riders as young as 7, but trainer Kelly McCaughey and Co. routinely work with visitors in their 60s. “A lot of people just are interested in horses and want to give it a shot. They like the animals and it’s a good stress reliever for the kids and also the adults we teach, as well,” McCaughey said. Western Kane County offers various idyllic rural landscapes and options to get on a horse. So surf the Internet, and remember to stretch. “It’s good fitness for the older clientele,” McCaughey said, “and something else to do that’s a little different than going on a treadmill.” Care to see what splendor is on reserve in the ol’ right side of the brain? An art class, often facilitated through park districts, breweries/wineries and restaurants, offers that very outlet. “What happens when you create – and painting is part of that – is the side of your brain that is analytical has to shut off to allow the creative side to take over. And that turning off of all of the worries and the checklists and all the other stuff going on in your life is what really allows your brain to relax,” says Amy Kumler, owner of the Pinot’s Palette franchise in St. Charles. “So painting for two hours can be like taking a vacation.” What do you get when you cross tennis, badminton and Ping Pong? Why, pickleball, of course, a sport that promotes both activity and interaction while featuring less physical exertion than tennis. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, some 4.8 Americans played the paddle sport in 2021, marking a two-year growth rate of about 40%. The Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles park districts each offer open gym pickleball sessions year-round, with many catering to beginners. The Tri-Cities also feature numerous outdoor courts for when the weather permits.