nomination letter
2006 MISTIC Science, Technology & Innovation Awards
I am nominating Core Essentials for the 2006 MISTIC Science, Technology & Innovation Awards because David Gilks, the owner, both embodies health and is one of the most passionate people I have ever met on the subject of fitness. He has a commitment to health that is boundless and appears to be on a personal mission to bring it to as many people as possible. both individually and collectively. including children.
He has initiated a project creating a foundation for youth in the community aimed at fitness. He is an expert in his field and a consultant to many, providing service to many clients including ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia), WCB, the Teachers Federation, IWA BC Forest Logging Rehabilitation Services, BC Amateur Hockey Association. He is an educator and role model for the fitness industry noted for his skill and expertise. His studies include alternative health: herbology, biokinesology, reflexology, acupressure, educational kineosology and fitness. But it's mainly his passion about fitness that inspires me, his belief in potential regardless of our starting point and his vision of making the world a better place, one body at a time.
I believe David wants to ensure as many people as possible exercise properly, maximize their exercise time/results and buy into the philosophy of health as a life-long prospect.
I first met David in May when I tentatively made an appointment to see him to discuss my increasing health concerns. I went to interview him, as I saw this coaching process as a potential long term commitment... important enough to get to know him a bit and understand his health philosophy. I had been to gyms on numerous occasions but felt I had affected little change and was still missing many pieces in my health awareness. I wanted an expert... someone who understood health from the inside out and could help me succeed in an area that I hadn't succeeded in much before. I not only needed a coach; I needed to challenge my assumptions and believe change was possible.
And so we began. Week after week I showed up with doubts, fears. and questions. I wondered whether I could do it, keep with it, sustain it. I had a lot of previous unsuccessful attempts, and a few that worked temporarily. Yet I really wanted to pull it off this time. I hoped there would be something in Core Essentials that would sustain me this time around.
I found inspiration in David. His enthusiasm. excitement. and encouragement of my process and progress have been instrumental in assisting me in creating a stronger foundation for health/fitness. His can-do attitude, no-nonsense approach and strive for excellence encouraged me to continually strive as well and throw in another sit up before the day is done. He encouraged me to make small changes and celebrate the little victories, particularly when I so readily discounted them. He helped me to see when I blind-sided and discounted my success/couldn't see past my old habits and old ways of remembering. He reminded me to notice what I had achieved ...that the day to day experience was also the journey to success, not just the end result: that I had in fact already created a new paradigm. Then I too began to notice the many changes... in movement, flexibility and weight loss. Pieces of the puzzle are falling into place. New patterns are being created. Inevitably I leave believing in my ability to change and am once again encouraged to hick it up a notch, yet again. It's all quite marvelous, really.
While I initially hesitated about submitting this because I wasn't sure whether it fit under technology, the more I think about it the more I believe it does. While I may not understand the physiology of the body as much as I'd like to -- not yet anyway -- I do know this: our bodies are an amazing mechanism that not only house our cells, our structure, and our beliefs... but our very essence. We are a technological marvel. And one who can help me understand the workings, metabolism, muscles, bio-kinesology, structure, impact of nutrition, and inspire and encourage myself and others to become more fit and improve all areas of our lives as a result... well that person has a gift and deserves to be recognized as an expert in innovation (which the dictionary defines as a creation resulting from study and experimentation or the conversion of knowledge and ideas into a benefit for new or improved products, processes or services).
In my first meeting with David when I tentatively shared my reasons for coming to Core Essentials and my hopes for my health, David listened intently and responded with great conviction: "You can change your life with this you know." I so wanted to believe him. I saw his belief and wanted and needed to believe it to be true and on many occasions in the first weeks/months needed to borrow/lean on his belief. Until mine strengthened enough to become a foundation that I could stand on.
This I know. I am changing my life. My thanks and deep appreciation to you David, for who you are and all that you do.
