About four years ago, Lee Walls fell in love with running. What started as a step toward getting healthier by running a few miles near his home turned into a refuge from the stressors of daily life.
Cindy Canty-Dumas never thought she’d be someone who meditates. As an outgoing and energetic person, the administrative specialist in the Office of the Duke University Chancellor for Health Affairs, the idea of sitting quietly wasn’t something that seemed doable.
Wanda Parker could retire from her position as a patient service associate at the Duke Health & Fitness Center. But at 64, she isn’t quite ready. For the past three decades, she has been stationed near the center’s front doors, greeting visitors with a smile, friendly conversation or encouraging words. “I love what I do,” said Parker who’s worked at the center since it opened in 1991. “That’s why I haven’t left. I just love the way I can talk with people; it just makes my day.”