This year marks the hospital’s fifth annual Commit to Get Fit, which will be held on Sunday, September 24 at Broadway Park in Bangor. The event was created to inspire our community to come together, put their wellness first, take better care of themselves and strive to be as healthy and fit as possible. Commit to Get Fit features a 5K, 10K and, new this year, a kids’ obstacle course and draws participants of all ages and fitness levels.
“Since the event’s inception 5 years ago, we’ve been a Commit to Get Fit presenting sponsor because we value fitness and believe it’s an honor to align ourselves with the important work St. Joe’s does,” says Jack Quirk, CEO, Quirk Auto Group. The proceeds from registrations, donations and sponsors like Quirk Auto Group support St. Joseph Healthcare’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner, or SAFE, nurse program. Jack adds, “The SAFE program at St. Joe’s is incredibly important to the community. Many of us know someone who has been a victim of violence. Being a presenting sponsor is our way of helping others.”
The SAFE nurse program has grown over the years to serve survivors from communities across Maine. Lately, the program has also been receiving a much higher volume of inquiries from community partners who would like to learn more about the program’s outreach and education efforts.
“Thanks to the proceeds from Commit to Get Fit we’ve hired and trained additional nurses,” says Keri Kapaldo, BSN, RN, SANE-A, ME-SAFE-A/P, SAFE Program Coordinator & Assistant Nurse Manager. “Now we can accommodate community trainings, which include everything from a SAFE 101 presentation and education on what happens when a survivor is referred, to specific training for first responders on how to work with survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, or human trafficking. Of course, the most important point to convey is that survivors should be feel heard, believed and safe.”
Please join Quirk Auto Group in supporting St. Joseph Healthcare’s SAFE program while you commit to walking or running in Commit to Get Fit on Sunday, Sept. 24, at Broadway Park in Bangor. Registration is open now. Please visit stjosephbangor.org/c2gf for more information.