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Health & Fitness

A Little About Me

Who am I and what right do I have to offer advice? I hope this answers your questions.

Now that you may have (or not) , you’re probably wondering who I am? So here’s all you need to know but didn’t think to ask.

My name is Donna Marhal and I am a 30-year resident of Oak Creek, having grown up on the south side of Milwaukee. I graduated from South Division High School in 1971 and married shortly after. I have a great husband and three wonderful kids and one grandson.

For a great part of my life I was happy being a stay-at-home mom. We lived in Bay View for six years and at the time, it was a great place to be. I could walk to Kohl’s food store, to the park, the bank, the post office and even the lake. I just grabbed a buggy or sled or wagon and the four of us (me and my kids) took off. I didn’t do any exercising to speak of because my lifestyle then was pretty active.

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After living in Bay View, we moved out to the country, Oak Creek. That's when my lifestyle changed. No more could I walk to the businesses I needed to deal with. It was always jump in the car and go. The kids were in school and there were activities associated with that and life got hectic. So now I was busy but not really active like I was in Bay View. My own fault, admittedly.

We also opened a store and that took me away from home, so when I was home I wasn’t out walking around smelling the flowers. I was doing what had to be done at home. Needless to say, the pounds started coming on from not being outside as much as I was in Bay View.

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So the years rolled by and I decided to go back to school. First for personal enrichment, I started attending Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, taking horticulture classes. I wanted to learn more about gardening as I really do enjoy that. There’s something so relaxing about working in the yard. One can just forget about all the day's problems when pulling weeds and planting flowers and vegetables.

I went to Gateway part time for several years and finally amassed one year's worth of credits. Then I received a scholarship and was able to go to school full-time and finished the second year in just one year's time! Wow. I also wanted to set an example for my kids, so I did my best to maintain good grades and graduated on the Dean’s list. 

I puttered in the horticulture field for a few years working at some cemeteries and then selling and designing landscapes for McKay Nursery. It was OK, but not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It was never my intention to work in horticulture and now I choose to do it for pleasure, not pay.

Around the year 2000 I started to attend the YMCA in Cudahy, and while a member there, I saw an ad for help wanted in the Fitness Department. I applied and was hired and became a fitness coach, instructing members on health issues, exercise and proper use of the equipment and machines. A few years later, I began a class for Oak Creek Parks and Rec offering exercise for seniors. A year after that, I became certified by NETA and have been doing classes for several parks & recreation departments since. So now you know more than you probably wanted to.

 I think Parks and Rec has a lot to offer residents and I would encourage them to take some classes. I’d be curious to know how many of you take part in classes offered and what you think of them.

What kind of classes would you like to see? Let me know.

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