Katey Armstrong has left her mark on Thompson and now she’s leaving. Her uninhibited love for people, fitness and life in general drew people to her fitness and exercise classes from hockey camps to the Northern Spirit Manor. In her 28 years in the fitness business in Thompson, she held classes and seminars for Vale, Manitoba Hydro, the School District of Mystery Lake, the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, the Juniper Centre, Northern Spirit Manor, Seniors Fun Fitness as well as her famous boot camp.
The Seniors Fun Fitness program, now running for 12 years at Rotary Place drew people from all walks of life, with a wide range of physical abilities, needs and ages from 55 to 85 plus. Katey Armstrong developed and pioneered this program focussing on strength and flexibility for independent living. It can easily by modified to meet the requirements of various abilities, needs and recovery rehabilitation. Katey provided this program to seniors under contract to the Northern Regional Health Authority at no charge to participants. Recently, the participants of Fun Fitness at Rotary Place with the help of Thompson Seniors Community Resource Council, submitted a request to the regional community resource manager of seniors services at the NRHA to continue the program.
At the opposite end of the age spectrum, Katey has led workshops with school division for students and educators and the bantam and midget hockey teams focussing on agility, speed, strength and cardio conditioning. She has been an enthusiastic supporter of local hockey.
At all times, with all groups, Katey’s love for people comes through in her ability to interact naturally with all people irrespective of their age, ability, culture or social standing. She has a way of making everything fun.
Katey came by that talent naturally. Her father Bob Kirkwood, a Lutheran pastor, brought his family to Thompson in 1976 and later worked as a much-loved announcer/host on radio CHTM until his passing in 1991. And her mother, Cleo Kirkwood, even while struggling with dementia as a resident at Northern Spirit Manor, continued to encourage and advocate for fellow residents.
Katey Armstrong is moving to Campbell River, B.C. Thompson will miss her.
