LEWISTON – Lewiston Adult Education’s latest addition to its winter health initiative, a walking for fitness program named “March into March,” will kick off at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at Lewiston High School.

The new program, a response to the cabin fever this winter has inspired, will provide a space for local residents to get out, meet new people and get some exercise.

On the first two nights of the program, an instructor will be provided to teach proper walking techniques, goal-setting, how to set an appropriate pace and how to monitor heart rates. Walkers will need to bring an extra pair of indoor walking shoes to use while on the loop.

Lewiston Adult Education will designate an indoor loop that participants may walk as frequently as they wish anytime from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

Participants may keep track of their mileage in the “March into March” log book so they may mark their progress over the course of the semester. The program is an opportunity for residents to get ready for the spring and summer outdoor walks and keep active in the cold months.

For residents with COPD/smoker’s lung/emphysema, Lewiston Adult Education will offer a one-night seminar from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, on living with COPD symptoms. It will be held at Lewiston High School.

The course, “Catch Your Breath,” will teach participants the beneficial breathing techniques that will allow them to manage symptoms, avoid complications, increase exercise tolerance and reduce the overall impact of COPD on their lives.

The instructor, Mary Callahan, recently published her third book, “Breathe Out: Living Life to the Fullest, with Emphysema, COPD or Smoker’s Lung.” She is working in the open-heart intensive care unit at Maine Medical Center. She has spent most of her 35-year nursing career focusing on patients with chronic lung disease.

Dance classes, including “Greek Dancing for Families” and “Latin Dance for Beginners and Intermediates,” are slated to begin in late February and early March. The classes are designed to help residents get fit, meet new people and have a new cultural experience. Dancers will also benefit from “Yoga,” an alternative form of exercise often used to improve flexibility and relieve tension.

Courses in holistic approaches to healthy living will also begin in late February and early March, including:

“Relax and Renew,” which will cover breathing techniques, mild stretching routines and meditations that can be used to help participants feel more relaxed and positive.

“Introduction to Homeopathy,” to help students learn the basics of the 200-year-old system of holistic medicine and how it can be applicable to remedy minor injuries and illnesses.

“Herbs for Menopausal Zest,” offering alternative herbal supplements for hot flashes, maintaining strong bones, providing a good night’s sleep.

More information on any of the courses is available at www.lewistonadulted.org, or by calling 795-4141.