Get some outdoor exercise or take a class to end your 2022 on a good note

How you doing on those 2022 resolutions? Don’t worry. We’re not judging you. In fact, we’re here to tell you it’s not too late to start. Whether you vowed to up your fitness game, increase your artistic literacy, ditch bad habits, or volunteer more, here are some opportunities to fulfill your resolution before the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31.
The Mill Pond Natural Area is within walking distance to Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant. (Photo Courtesy of the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy)
Fitness

For the fitness fans, there’s still time to complete one of the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy’s 2022 challenges. You’ll have to act fast, though. Each of the challenges ends Dec. 31.

The Bundy Hill Vertical Mile Challenge 2022 calls for participants to walk the History/McNeel Trail to the highest point in Isabella County.

Bundy Hill is 1,270 feet above sea level, making it the highest spot in the county. Make the trek from the trailhead to the USGS triangulation mark at the Bundy Hill peak and you’ll have gained 170 feet from where you started. Do that 31 times and you’ll have climbed a mile high.
Walk to the top of Bundy Hill 31 times in November and December and you'll have walked one mile high, completing the Bundy Hill Vertical Mile Challenge.
To complete the challenge, all you have to do is make the trip 31 times before the end of the year. The rules call for staying on marked trails and snapping a photo of the summit on each trip.

Once you’ve completed the challenge, send an email with your address and a college of your photos to cwc@cwc-mi.org. The conservancy will mail you a certificate marking your achievement. If you agree, they’ll share your news on social media.

While you’re completing the Bundy Hill Challenge, you also can log miles toward the conservancy’s 2022 100-Mile Hiking Challenge.

For this one, you need to register in advance. Send your name and email address to cwc@cwc-mi.org with the subject line 100 Mile Challenge before you start hiking on any of the Conservancy’s preserves. Visit the website and download the hiking log.

After you’ve completed all 100 miles, and filled out the log, mail it back to the Conservancy to qualify for a prize. If you bring your dog along, make a note of that. There’s a special prize for dogs who finish the challenge. Note that dogs must remain leashed on the trails.

Arts & Culture

If your goal was to become more cultured during 2022, then Art Reach of MidMichigan and the University Art Gallery await.
Don't like the weather outside? Try taking a class inside Art Reach of MidMichigan.
Art Reach, located at 111 E. Broadway St., offers a range of classes in November. Options include “November 2022 Mini Masters,” “Club Create of Mid Michigan,” and “November Brews & Brushes.”

The University Art Gallery, at 251 E. Preston St. on CMU’s campus, offers free admission to view the work of regional, national, and international artists. Visit the website for details about the current exhibit and upcoming lectures. Admission is free.

Community & Self Improvement


If you vowed to make your community (or yourself) better, then opportunities abound. The Zonta Club of Mt. Pleasant celebrates its 70^th anniversary this month.

Even if you can’t make the anniversary celebration, membership is open to women who want to help build a better world for women and girls. Learn more on the Zonta Club website.

Self improvement takes many forms. You’ll find speakers, classes to learn new skills, and more on several different community calendars listing event between now and the end of 2022. Browse the selection and you may be inspired to try something new.

Check out Meet Mt. Pleasant online, the Chippewa River District Library, City of Mt. Pleasant, or the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce.