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Outdoors

Benefits of Camping With My Family

June 14, 2018

Interview with Tony Livella, PTA (written by Veronica Cavanaugh, PTA)

With June being National Men's Health AND National Great Outdoors Month, I have asked the male employees in our company to provide me with their favorite, healthy outdoor activities. I invite you to get to know some of our employees through these candid interviews.

First up is Tony, a Physical Therapist Assistant, who works in our State College clinic. He enjoys camping with his family, and with Father's Day coming up this weekend, this is a perfect place to start!

Disconnecting from technology.

"I enjoy the time away from home when camping. No TVs. No iPads. No laptops. I believe the time spent camping, when we are able to sit around the fire and just talk and laugh... is very important in keeping our family close."

Technology gives us great opportunities, but finding balance is important. Being able to disconnect from all the phones, TVs, and computers allows you to be in the moment. Humans are social beings that enjoy having quality relationships. In fact, face-to-face contact with close friends and family has one of the greatest impacts on your overall well-being. You have less stress, more happiness, and better health. With your focus away from technology, you are able to dial in to what's important in life.

Quality time with family.

We all get so involved with our day to day. It's easy to get lost in work, but it is refreshing to put away our extracurriculars and be with family and friends. Tony, as a father and husband, is grounded by his family. Time spent outdoors with his family creates a healthy environment for him, his wife, and their children.

"My kids, Gabe and Sophia, both enjoy camping very much. It gives them time to ride bikes, play with our dogs. There are campfires at night and, of course, talking and teasing each other..."

Spending time with our family gives us the feeling that we matter, as well as shows them that they matter. Studies show that "mattering" is a fundamental human motivation in life, and quality time is the best way to foster this feeling.

Recreational and sporting activities on site.

"I believe... the benefits of exercise while hiking and biking are very important in keeping our family close."

There are various outdoor activities offered at campgrounds. Tony and his family enjoy hiking, biking on rails to trails, navigating ropes courses with a zipline, and eurobungy. All of these great activities offer excellent health benefits: reducing blood pressure, improving memory and attention span, and reducing rates of cancer.

Ability to enjoy local community.

A campground that Tony enjoys is Laurel Hill State Park.

"Located 7 miles east of Somerset, PA and 5 miles east of Seven Springs Resort... we pick Laurel Hill for its close proximity to Seven Springs and Ohiopyle State Park, which is located near the Maryland border on Route 381."

If you live near State College, PA or Altoona, PA, there are some great places to enjoy camping. These include: Poe Valley State Park in Centre County, Black Moshannon State Park in Centre County, Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County, Corps Lakes Gateway at Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County, and Lake Raystown Family Camping Resort in Huntingdon County.

Ability to enjoy traveling.

"We have also traveled to Saskatchewan, Canada twice, hauling the trailer and camping each night at various campgrounds along the way. My wife, Paula, is from Saskatchewan and we visit her family either by driving or flying each year."

If you would like to travel, then visit Go RVing. This site will give you great advice and information on planning a camping trip to anywhere across the USA.

** Please visit our blog for further reading and check out our website to learn more about Atlas Therapy.

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Posted in Outdoors on Jun 14, 2018