Gillian Pieper

Your Sizzlin’ Summer Challenge begins TODAY! Coincidentally, it’s also the Dalai Lama’s birthday. 10 weeks of great activities to get you out and about in your communities and with your loved ones awaits. As we begin, we reflect on what’s ahead. Health is really about our ability to enjoy life with those we love. This […]

We’ve been taking an informal poll over the summer (and over the years) to ask people what would make the transition from Summer back to school easier? What would make the coming year more manageable? By far, the two things people say most often are that they want to a) be kinder, gentler and more […]

This week you’re asked to try a new social activity. Can’t think of anything? Oh come now, summer is still here. Drag out those last few days for all they’re worth! Keep your eye on the joy prize of a relaxing, rejuvenating summer as you ease into the coming school year. Here are some ideas: […]

Welcome to Week 5 of the Summer Challenge! From the French, comunité meaning commonness and the Latin communauté meaning fellowship, courtesy and affability, a sense of community today hasn’t changed much. It’s about getting along, sharing in common achievements, caring and belonging. This weekend Burlington, VT hosted the amazing DragonHeart dragon boat races to raise […]

Erma Bombeck said, “I am not a glutton. I am an explorer of food.” The summer challenge task this week is to make, and indulge in, a beautiful salad. There’s no derth of options this time of year thus it makes sense to seak out the best ingredients at the best prices. Now is the […]

It’s time for the 2014 VEHI Summer Challenge on Facebook! Why Facebook you ask?  Well, it’s simple and easy for us to track (plus no development costs), millions of people clearly love the social platform, and it’s a great community in which everyone can easily share their healthy experiences.  Sharing is a key element of […]

The Sizzlin’ Summer Challenge is over and we had an amazing time. There’s still time to get your entries in but the diligent people who posted throughout deserve some applause and we have to share some of the highlights.   Take a look at the joy and wisdom of your Vermont school employees  as they […]

We’re in week 9 of a Summer-to-Fall challenge.  It’s Laugh-Out-Loud week and it’s also Back-to-School week.  [goodness look at all those hyphens!] The idea of the challenge was to help school employees enjoy a healthy summer with friends and family and then transition back to school with their own powerful stress management tools in their […]

Let me ask you…  Why the heck not?  Because one day you might Have to. Yesterday we heard the Assistant U.S. Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Deb Delisle, speak at the annual Vermont Principal’s Association Leadership Summit.  She asked us to look at “learning” in exciting new ways.  We’ve been asked this a lot over the […]

“Would you like to try our raw, gluten-free, vegan, no sugar added, no GMO granola?”  I was asked this Summer at the Rosseau, Ontario farmers market. Followed up with, “Gosh you’re probably wondering if there is anything in it other than air!” Let’s help vendors at farmers markets become better sales people on behalf of […]