jfisher@timesrepublican.con
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A water exercise class social distances in the lap pool during a session in the Aquatic Center.
The Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA is encouraging the community to get even stronger.
The Y is launching the Strong Challenge on Jan. 18 to promote living your best and healthiest life in the new year. The Strong Challenge is a free six-week program challenging participants to get active for at least 20 minutes, five days a week.
A new year is always a milestone where people commit to better habits and this year is no different.
“One of the things we know in this pandemic environment, people are feeling isolated and not necessarily safe in doing normal activities,” Carol Hibbs, CEO of the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA, said. “The Strong Challenge really helps connect people and helps support people in trying to make positive changes.”
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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO - Pastor Jack Mithelman of Elim Lutheran Church delivers communion to a church member during a drive-in service.
Churches in Marshalltown have innovated to keep connected with congregations during the pandemic, with special events planned for the holiday season.
The Elim Lutheran Church stopped holding in-person services in March when COVID-19 hit. Since then, the church has held brief communion services in their parking lot along with broadcasting a weekly service on local radio station KFJB.
Winter weather has halted drive-in communion for now, but the church is preparing a special radio broadcast Christmas Eve. The pre-recorded service is done by a masked and socially distanced small group inside the church’s sanctuary, recorded over a length of time and at different locations to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread.