Schedule of Events

Everyday Chef
Annual MPMC 5 Miler
Healthy Eating Adventure
Trail Team Activities
Volunteer Activities
MACWell and MPMC @ Springfest and Townfest
MACWell Board Meetings
Mercersburg Vibrancy Steering Committee Meetings
​Business Wellness Games
 Spring 2021
10th Annual - Oct 31 2020  - Results!
 Watch for January Virtual Adventure!!!
Watch for spring planting - Follow us on Facebook!
Let us know if you would like notification. Follow us on Facebook!
Click here for TACC's Springfest and Townfest Schedule
The fourth Tuesday of each month contact us for input!
The third Wednesday of each month contact us for input!
Available on Request.   Follow us on Facebook!
Envisioning a Lovely "Greenway" ​

 Walk along Johnston Run Stream Side Trail,  cross at Veterans Way to the Little League Park, cross the Stream on the bridge stopping in the middle to enjoy the view.  Walk the path to Park Avenue and follow the alleys, visit Fendrick Library, visit the stores and restaurants at town center, continue along the picturesque alleys and end up in the Lions Club Park and enjoy the Fitness Trail. The Lion's Club Park will be the location for a future Mercersburg Skateboard, Dogpark, and Playing Fields*
Contact us to share your ideas and talents
Our work on walkability bikeability , following the recommendations of our Feasibility Study is ongoing and longterm ; your skills in advocacy, planning, designing, grant writing and implementation can always find projects with our team. 

Join the Johnston Run Trail Team for planning, planting, trail maintenance.  Help plan trail events! 

MPMC Annual 5 Mile Run/Walk - Run for Johnston Run! 
           Watch for the date of our 2020 10th Annual Run

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MPMC creates opportunities for people to explore their community and expand their ideas about nutrition, fitness and healthy living!  This annual walk/run event brings people together from all over to show off their fitness, challenge themselves and share the health!  The run raised funds toward building  the  streamside trail; now funds go to sustaining the trail  and revitalizing Johntson Run.  The Run is held the second Saturday in May - participants can enjoy Mercersburg Springfest after their run.  (our 2020 event postponed due to Covid)

The Run travels through gently rolling hills and scenic views of Tuscarora Ridge.  Your group can create a 1 Mile  Fun Walk on the Fitness Trail -- challenging other businesses to bring a team, and also inviting families to join the fun and prizes and wellness.   

Contact us if you would like MACWell to help your business plan a Couch to 5 Miler Program. 


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Everyday Chef  

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Everyday Chef - A Hands-on Cooking Class for the Whole Family!
4-Class series for individuals and families.

The classes are taught by our talented local chefs who have a passion for healthy cooking and wellness awareness in the community.  Learn to shop for and prepare healthy, economical, family style meals.  Children 12 and over can participate in making the meal and having fun learning about healthy food choice and preparation.

Watch for Upcoming Events for the next series
Individuals - $45    
To Enroll Contact Us

Thanks to our wonderful chefs:  Jim Butler (Sage at Mercersburg Academy), Adam Carlson (Metz Dining Service at Tuscarora School District, Jeremy Jones (104 B St) Harry McCullough (Romeo's ),  Berkley Cline (Sage at MA) ,
Amer Chaundry (Falafel Shack) and
Paul Cline (Sage at Wilson)  for teaching our Everyday Chef series.
​Thank you to our sponsor Food Lion.
Enjoy our recipe workbook!
 The first 2 Everyday Chef classes for  March 2020 were great fun with fabulous meals -
with COVID 19 we are all practicing at home !   Enjoy these recipes:                                                              

Thank you Food Lion for sponsorship. 

THAI BLACK RICE SALAD

Stir-Fry with Eggplant

MACWellness Games Can Be Planned with Your Business

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 Local Businesses Can Take on Fun and Fitness

Team Captains from local businesses gathered their teams to compete in the "Business Wellness Games" as a way to increase wellness in their businesses and in the community.  For 3 months, Teams keep track of exercise activities and healthy eating challenges to see who will receive the "Healthiest Business Award".  

Business Wellness Games was created by MACWell and team captains Dan Fisher, (DLMartin Companty) , Julie Barthelow (Susquehanna Bank - Mercersburg Branch), Liz George (Mercersburg Family Care), Matt Main (First National Bank of Mercersburg), and Theresa Gourley (Auto Sales Unlimited – with her “Working Women’s Team”). 

The event is open to all interested local businesses, schools, service groups and faith-based communities.  Groups are sure to lose weight, pick up healthy habits and develop a community that makes living well easy.  MACWellness Games is a great way to give your group the boost they need towards healthy living, as a team!  Contact Us to get your business or group involved!


The Adventure Begins !     Our Next Adventure depends on Covid.  
​Meanwhile, we are working on a Virtual Event!!!
Watch for registration for our next Adventure
Learn how you can reach your health goals through changing your habits in just 28 days.  
All with the help of a coach and team of passionate volunteers!

Eating for the Health of It - Community Healthy Eating Adventures
Based on Scientific Research on Food and Your Health

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    The idea for our Community Healthy Eating Adventure got its start in May 2010.  Dr. Elizabeth George read about how Rip Esselstyn (author Engine2Diet) had used team work to teach Austin fire fighters to eat a whole foods plant based diet with dramatic health results.  Dr. George, a family physician in Mercersburg, emailed him saying, "Come create a similar healthy eating program that can work in small towns!” Rip and Dr. George met with a group of 10 energetic community members to create a project to help people learn to cook and eat the plant strong way. This team of 10 learned new shopping and cooking habits, and shared hints and great tastes at weekly potlucks for one month. After a month of eating plant strong, with some LDL’s dropping by more than 20%, and tastebuds reawakened from their sugar, salt and fat coma to the taste of real food, this group was ready to coach their own "Engine 2" teams and create the first Community Healthy Eating Adventure 

  



​  Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and his wife, Ann Esselstyn accepted an invitation to help us kick off our Fall, 2011 Healthy Eating Adventure .  The event, held at Mercersburg Academy, had over 250 attendees from the tri-state area, and included a presentation of Dr. Esselstyn's "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" research. The Healthy Eating movement has been building ever since with adventures taking place since that at Penn National, Wilson College, and Shippensburg! 
   During the 28 day adventure, participants learn first-hand about the many incredible health benefits of a Plant Strong diet: many lose weight, gain energy, lower cholesterol, enhance mood and stabilize blood glucose levels, just to name a few.  Working with a coach and the other adventurers, participants experience great community support that allows them to easily take huge leaps towards better health!

You can visit Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's website to find out more about his research.  
Download our brochure "Community Adventure in Healthy Eating" 
To read more about the amazing results participants experienced, visit www.healthyeatingadventure.org  
Contact Us if you would like to bring this great community experience to your area!

Click here to enjoy a Healthy Eating Adventure Newsletter!
Click on the photo below to learn more about the next  Summit Health Walking Challenge!

Montgomery-Peters-Mercersburg Connectivity (MPMC)

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Where do you want to go?  How do you want to get there?  Montgomery-Peters-Mercersburg Connectivity, known as MPMC, wanted  to know.  In the fall of 2011 MPMC kicked off a Feasibility Study to determine how to increase ‘connectivity’ in our community by providing safe, scenic routes for walking and biking.  The feasibility study, conducted by community architects, Campbell, Thomas & Associates was shaped by workshops to review and comment on possible trails.  
   Share your ideas about walkability/bikeability in our area! Your input is important
   Read about walkability/bikeability progress.
                 
​                                                                                                                    Attendees at the MPMC Community Workshop helped answer connectivity questions. 
Work on walkability bikeability , following the recommendations of our Feasibility Study is ongoing and longterm - your skills in advocacy, planning, designing, grant writing and implementation can always find projects with our team. 

MPMC and MACWell Inspire Wellness at Local Events

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There are many opportunities for community gathering in Mercersburg, and MACWell and MPMC are always happy to join in the fun to inspire wellness!  Volunteers come together to give you information, talk with community members about healthy habits and opportunities, and encourage health, fitness and fun. 


You will find our booths at the Mercersburg Townfest and Springfest as well as any other event where we can share the health!

Teaming up with Schools and Local Groups 
Contact Us if Your Group Would like to Participate in an
​Outdoor Project, an Arts or Graphics Project, or a Waterway Monitoring Project 

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Give them a healthy start!  We are committed to educating children about healthy eating and ensuring that they have access to nutritious, delicious food choices as well as fitness opportunity.  Let's make health easy!   

MACWell and Tuscarora School District have enjoyed teaming up for wellness.  TSD dining service director, Adam Carlton, has done a great job increasing fruits and veggies for student snacks and lunches, is adding whole grains and decreasing saturated fats.  He is also working with MACWell and director of food services, Jim Butler, at the Mercersburg Academy to look at Farm to School Programs which focus on using fresh local produce in schools.  Check it out here: Farm to School  Both Chefs teach participants in our Everyday Chef hands on cooking class. 

Dr. Liz George has been on the council for the Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion (CNAP) at Penn State Hershey that works to expand and promote the healthy living message to youth and families through collaboration of schools, communities and like-minded individuals.  Check out NRGBalance to be a part of the movement to make health easy!  




​MACWell and JBHS teamed up to create a stunning area Bicycle Map and creative mural benches for the stream side trail.




JB Honor Students came out armed with  yard tools for Day of Caring to work on trail clearing!  A student was able to envision the final result for the stream side trail: "The trail will give many people the opportunity to take time to enjoy the local beauty and nature of this area.”

The Fitness Trail at Lions Club Park is Always Open for Individuals
and Groups
            Great for Flexibility, Strengthening and Aerobic Activity

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MACWell and community volunteers joined with the Lions Club to create a Fitness Trail at the Mercersburg Lions Club Park. Individuals and groups use the trail for aerobic and strengthening exercise; the stations are appropriate for individuals at all levels of fitness.  Beginners find it an enjoyable way to get started and regular exercisers enjoy a new alternative outdoor routine.

Enjoy a walk to the Fitness Trail from Park St up Finefrock Alley following the MPMC Alley Loop signs.

Check out our Fitness Fun page for more local fitness opportunities!

Healthy Habit Calendars

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Here's a fun project we can create with your Group

MACWell distributed "Healthy Habit a Month Calendars" at the Mercersburg Townfest and through Modnur Pharmacy.  The calendars were a collaboration with the local Girl Scout and Brownie Troops and TWEP with many wonderful photos catching area residents being healthy.  Summit Endowment Fund and Franklin/Fulton Drug and Alcohol sponsored the calendars.

Initiatives such as this one are a great way to share information and practical health suggestions, and they really help to keep the community wellness conversation alive all year around!

Mercersburg Farmer's Market

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Mercersburg Farmer's Market was held every weekend throughout warm months at the Tuscarora Family Practice center, bringing local produce right to the community and making healthy eating very accessible.  Our area has amazing availability of wonderful fresh produce.  The Mercersburg Farmer's Market is currently looking for a new creative director to continue this great community activity - how would you like to help create a Thursday evening market?!  Or maybe you'd like to be a vendor?  Click here to Contact Us and get involved.   Also, you can download this flyer to read more about the great benefits of eating local!
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Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Focusing on the connection between health and outdoor activities, Pennsylvania residents want access to close to home recreation, walkable and bikable communities, protection of lands and waters and well-maintained park facilities.  MACWell's projects and events are completed in conjunction with these goals of the PA DCNR to create safe and effective enjoyment of the outdoors.  Visit their site for more information and see their 5 year plan!