Make Time for a Healthy You

with SUU Community Education

by Susie Knudsen

This year, make time for yourself by learning new skills to enhance a healthy lifestyle with Southern Utah University’s (SUU) Community Education classes. The new spring lineup offers ways to get active, prepare food, and grow fresh produce you can enjoy all year long. Choose from four healthy living classes—Pickleball, Gluten Free and Dairy Free Cooking, Gardening from the Ground Up, and Preserving the Harvest—to help you flourish with your family and feel good inside and out. Other classes offered include Wood Carving, Watercolor Painting, and even American Sign Language.

“The new year is a great time to set goals and commit to learning ways to care for yourself,” says Melynda Thorpe, executive director for SUU Community and Professional Development. “Learning new skills and developing hobbies are significant contributors to staying healthy, active, and engaged in the community.”

Try the Pickleball class starting on March 21 to get moving and pick up this popular sport. Learn techniques for serving the ball, basic grip, forehand and backhand hitting, and the basic rules of the game with instructor Jeremy Waite.

Cooking with fresh food at home can contribute to your wellness, but for those with allergies or dietary restrictions, healthy cooking can look quite different than for others. Find out what substitutes to use in the new Gluten Free and Dairy Free Cooking class, which started on January 26 by Southwest Tech’s Chef Jon Woodgate. By learning gluten-free and dairy-free methods, you’ll be able to adapt your favorite recipes and continue cooking for friends and family. This class will keep you in the kitchen cooking what you love.

“Culinary skills are like tools in a toolbox,” says Woodgate. “If you only have one or two culinary skills and an understanding of those very specific or very unique foods, it's hard to branch out. Understanding how to cook gluten-free and dairy-free allows you to add more tools to your toolbox.”

For gardeners looking to improve the quality of their soil and find out what vegetable varieties grow well in Cedar City’s climate, two favorite classes are back with instructors Neal and Valerie Pack. The Gardening from the Ground Up class started on February 1 and will help you prepare for a summer garden. Preserving the Harvest starts March 9 and will help you make the most of your produce so you can enjoy it year-round. Learn many preservation techniques, including freezing, canning, and dehydration.

If you are looking for a new hobby, consider taking Wood Carving for Beginners, which started on February 2 with instructor Jocelyn Ross. In this fun class, you’ll learn the skills needed to design and create a hand-carved charcuterie board to take home. You’ll also get a set of carving tools so you can continue practicing on different species of wood.

Learn the basics of watercolor painting with returning instructor and local artist Larry Lawoski began on January 25. From transparency and color theory to composition and style, this class will teach you how to turn your vision into an art piece you’ll be proud to display. On January 24, Lawoski began to teach the Intermediate American Sign Language class for those ready to build on existing language skills.

SUU’s Community Education program offers classes, workshops, and events for the purpose of generating fun, cultural, and educational opportunities for those who love to learn. While increasing participant knowledge, programs provide non-credit experiences for community members wishing to develop new hobbies, skills, and areas of personal interest.V

To register for classes, visit suu.edu/wise or call SUU Community Education at (435) 865-8259.