Lorna Jane Active Nation Day in Arcadia

Participants in Active Nation Day enjoy the crowd-favorite free Zumba class located right in the Promenade of Westfield Santa Anita. – Courtesy photo / Sandi Khine

By Sandi Khine

It’s not every day that a nationwide movement makes a place in your local community. Fortunately for residents of the San Gabriel Valley, activewear brand Lorna Jane’s sixth annual Active Nation Day on Sunday, Sept. 30 had a foothold in the promenade of Arcadia’s Westfield Santa Anita mall.

Founded in 2012, Lorna Jane’s Active Nation Day’s purpose is to showcase a “commitment to being healthy by simply getting active” through their philosophy “Move, Nourish, Believe.” Though five hours a week is all that is necessary for the recommended amount of physical activity, one in two adults do not get their recommended daily amount of physical activity. Active Nation Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of health, wellbeing, and exercise as global obesity rates continue to rise. Joecelyn Mendez, manager at Lorna Jane Arcadia, mentions that Active Nation Day is “a way to empower women and get them moving and active.” Now, six years later, Active Nation Day has expanded into a global movement.

As the Lorna Jane philosophy is “Move, Nourish, Believe,” nourish was an integral part of Active Nation Day in Arcadia as local juicery Andrea’s Healthy Kitchen was present. Since 2013, Andrea’s Healthy Kitchen has been helping people “be healthy in a natural way” in local communities and at events like Active Nation Day.

Throughout the afternoon in the Promenade, a variety of classes were available for the community to take part in: Buti Yoga, Pound Fit, Groov3, Vhakti Vinyasa, and the fan-favorite Zumba course. All attendees were also able to receive an exclusive 30 percent off store-wide at Lorna Jane Santa Anita.

Many of the instructors are local ones who teach in the surrounding areas of the San Gabriel Valley, bringing a level of familiarity to the workshops and classes during Active Nation Day in Arcadia. Attendee Evelyn Lin participated in Active Nation Day to learn from the local instructors and to “live longer and be healthier.”

The much-anticipated Zumba class drew a crowd of women, including fitness instructor Irene van Blerkom, who believes Active Nation Day is incredibly important for the community because it “brings all the community members together to do active working out [sic].” In a community where people rely on their cars so often, it is essential to have days like this one to “work out more.”

An opportunity to bring community members together to focus on fitness and healthy living, Active Nation Day is one event that benefits local communities tremendously, inspiring participants to stay active not only during that week but also throughout the entire year and for the rest of their lives.