Hendersonian Kim Terry has wanted for a long time to find a way to help as many people as possible to live a healthy lifestyle.
“I’ve always thought, ‘How could I get as many people as healthy as I could?’” he said.
His answer, which came about a year ago, was to first establish an audience. To do that, he turned to Facebook and started his own page, “Promoting a Healthy Henderson.”
He has used and continues to use the page to distribute encouragement to his followers, which in October hit 1,000.
He posts videos, memes, posters, links to articles and more. Many center on a motivational theme; others provide healthy living information. Terry also posts about meditation and praying and breathing. Contributors also post to the page.
A recent post went like this: “Start by doing 1 push up. Start by drinking 1 cup of water. Start by paying toward 1 debt. Start by reading 1 page. … Start today. Repeat tomorrow.”
Above it, Terry writes, “Just start!!”
Above another recent post he writes, “Keep pushing. Don’t give up! You can and will do it!”
All of it taken together, the page works by being a gentle and kind motivating factor, with a sort of “We’re all in this together” theme.
Terry said he started the group last year, with help from his wife, Faye. He said the goal was to get 1,000 followers. It took a year.
“On our anniversary, we reached 1,000,” Terry said.
Terry is no stranger to health. His day job is at Brentwood Springs rehab center in Newburgh, Ind., where he trains military veterans in the facility’s ‘Help for Heroes’ program. Additionally, he serves as vice-chair of the board for the local Boys & Girls Club and coaches middle school boys basketball teams at Holy Name School.
He’s also a former athlete who’s has been inducted into the Henderson County High School Sports Hall of Fame for his accolades on the track and field and basketball teams. He was honorable mention all-American and a two-time all-state performer in track. Terry went on to Western Kentucky University, where he ran track for the Hilltoppers.
His son, Josh, and brother, Scott, are also in the Henderson County High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Despite what we may see or hear on television and the web about the poor American health, Terry believes it can improve because people are now more aware of health and are trying to do something about it—even if it’s a small early effort.
“People know they need to be healthier, and I think they try,” he said, adding that part of the goal of his page is to keep that motivation fresh in their mind.
Another piece of his philosophy includes being peaceful by using meditation, mindfulness, praying—“whatever is going to bring peace in your life because stress is a killer.”
With the holiday season upon us, Terry’s outlook is refreshing: It’s the holiday, he said, and people are going to enjoy themselves. Just know it’s once a year, he said.
“I know we’re only human,” he said. But he urges people to keep exercising throughout the holiday season so that you’re not that much more behind when you begin again. He also said it would help if you try to pull away from that extra slice of pumpkin pie or martini nightcap.
“I’m a firm believer in enjoying life,” he said. “But be responsible as well.”
As of the time of this writing, there are nearly 1,100 members of Promoting a Healthy Henderson. Terry’s goal is to add 1,000 members each year, until he gets the whole town to join.
“I just want to see people happy and healthy,” he said.
