CHAARG Bring a Friend Event
When: Thursday, Nov. 5
Location TBA
Contact Samantha Milich if interested at scmilich@bsu.edu
A nationwide exercise team of college women started its official chapter on Ball State's campus at the start of this semester.
Changing Health, Attitudes and Actions to Recreate Girls (CHAARG) was created in 2012, and is now at 24 universities, according to its website. One of the goals of the program is to liberate women from the elliptical.
Samantha Milich, a junior exercise science major, started working to bring CHAARG to Ball State last semester. In order to become official at any university, students have to create enough interest, show they can handle the responsibilities of being an ambassador and go through three different interviews, both written and in person or on Skype.
After the excitement of becoming official was over, Milich's work was not. During the summer, she had to choose six students for her executive team. Students applied, and after many interviews she selected her team.
Though they are an exercise group by definition, Milich said the group is much more than that.
"It's a community of 5,000 girls," she said. "I could go to Michigan and find a CHAARG girl. And I love that."
Ball State's chapter currently has 73 members. They meet together for their main event every Thursday, and in small groups meet throughout the week.
Though some people assume everyone in an exercise group is already fit, this is not the case, Milich said.
"Some girls have been on this journey their whole life, some just started," she said. "Everyone is trying to change their lives, to find a best fit … Not everyone has six pack of abs."
Lily Passafume, a freshman public relations major, became a CHAARG member when she came to Ball State. While her schedule can get busy, she always makes sure she attends the events and small group meetings each week. She hates to miss them.
"I stay motivated through the girls in CHAARG. If they can do it, I can do it," Passafume said. "They always have such positive attitudes and they aren't there to just help us workout, they actually will sit down and ask us about how our day is going or listen to our problems."
At weekly events, they will typically do a different kind of exercise every time. Milich said so far they have done CrossFit, hot yoga, self defense, aerobics, belly dancing and many others.
While no meeting is mandatory, Milich said members should attend each week if they can.
"CHAARG is what you make it," said Milich. "We want you to get the most."
Small group meetings don't always just include exercise. After a work out a group might pick up Starbucks or do crafts together.
Because this is the first semester for CHAARG at Ball State, Milich said they are "still trying to get in the swing of things." Next semester should have different events and more members, she said.
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