N.S. community wellness challenge about more than just bragging rights

Jody Saulnier of IGNITE Atlantic, along with Jeff Johnson and Sam Ross of the Wellnify.ai app, were supplying plenty of information to help people get involved in a community wellness challenge involving Yarmouth and Pictou counties and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, during a launch event in Yarmouth on June 17. TINA COMEAUArticle contentA community health and wellness challenge involving Yarmouth and Pictou counties and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is not just looking to help people develop healthy and active habits during the challenge, it’s hoped they’ll stick with it long after the challenge ends.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe challenge is an initiative of IGNITE Atlantic, a hub that promotes entrepreneurship and innovation, and the made-in-Nova Scotia Wellnify.ai app. Other partners are the province of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentThe wellness challenge pitting the communities against each other in a friendly competition kicked off June 17 and runs to June 30. People can still register. Info can be found on IGNITE Atlantic’s Facebook page.Article content“IGNITE is proud to champion the health and wellness challenge, empowering individuals and teams to take charge of their well-being,” says Jody Saulnier, IGNITE Southern’s Site Lead in Yarmouth. She says the Wellnify.ai app supports physical, mental, and emotional well-being and is designed to make wellness simple, accessible, and fun.Article content“We’re fostering a culture that values health, encourages positive change, and brings people together through shared goals and friendly competition,” she says. “IGNITE believes that wellness is a team effort. This challenge is a powerful step toward a healthier, more connected community.”Article contentArticle contentThose involved with creating Wellnify.ai say a lot of thought and effort went into it. The app took about a year to develop and was launched last year.Article content“The goal was to help create healthier, happier communities,” says Sam Ross, Wellnify’s manager of client success. Part of this is done through gamification, bringing fun to daily tasks and challenges. People can earn badges and there are community and individual username leaderboards. Little nuggets of wisdom are also thrown into the mix.Article content“It’s not just physical activity. We’ve created an app where you can take part in wellness education content, short movement breaks, short breathing activities, and earn points for doing all of those things,” says Ross, saying the wellness challenge is a good way to introduce people to the app.Article content“We’re hoping that this will be the first of many wellness challenges across Nova Scotia. Our goal is to have this available in all of the municipalities,” Ross says, saying they’ll be gathering user feedback. “We’re really happy with the app, but we continue to improve it each day.”