Pearl River Community College celebrated the opening of its Wildcat Wellness Ropes and Obstacle Course with a ribbon cutting on Friday.
Last year, PRCC’s Chair of Health and Physical Education and Wellness Center Director Tara Rouse applied for a grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. Last September, the college was awarded a grant for $198,171.
“The purpose is to create a culture on campus of health and well-being for students, faculty and the community,” Rouse said. “The course is designed to promote team building and leadership skills. Each participant will get different things out of it depending on what they want to implement.”
According to a PRCC release, 12 PRCC faculty and staff members were trained as instructors.
One of those is Randy Henry, utility lineman and instructor, who also helped construct the course.
“The ropes course is more about team building and the obstacle course is more about personal endurance even through it’s a team event,” he said. “Participants will be able to build their self-esteem and work as a team instead of feeling isolated. It can definitely help them overcome something in the classroom.”
Monday, freshmen attending the First Year Seminar classes will be the first to use this course, the release states.
As soon as the course is complete, it will be open to the public, Rouse said.
Monday at 5:30 p.m., the Wellness Center will be hosting an obstacle course run, Rouse said.
Groups from the Poplarville Fire Department, the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department, the Mississippi Mud Pirates and student groups will be participating. The event is open to the public at no charge.
“I want to thank BCBS Mississippi Foundation, Randy Henry and Doug Rowell and our college leaders who were instrumental in making this happen,” Rouse said.
For more information about the course, contact Rouse at 601-403-1342.