The Peru Gazette

News Release of Jan. 15, 2026 – A regionwide coalition is offering a virtual peer leader training for those interested in teaching skills and practices that promote healthier living.

Hosted by Get Healthy North Country (GHNC), the training will be held over the course of six weeks, beginning Friday, Feb. 27, and continuing on Tuesdays and Fridays through April 10. Each session lasts 2.5 hours, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Peer leaders help facilitate GHNC workshops virtually and in community settings throughout the North Country. Workshops focus on lifestyle changes for a range of conditions, from chronic pain and cancer to diabetes and prediabetes. An additional workshop is designed for anyone who wants to feel better, regardless of what condition they are living with. Serving as a peer leader provides individuals with a sense of purpose, a stronger connection to their community and can help them better understand their own health challenges.

“We’ve found that the best way for people to learn everyday skills to help manage health and wellness is to learn from their peers,” said GHNC Program Manager Julie Cooke. “When people learn from a friend or neighbor, especially when that person has overcome similar challenges, the message resonates far better — it’s inspiring and relatable.”

To register for the training, contact Julie Cooke at 518-375-8825 or jcooke@heartnetwork.org,

To learn more about Get Healthy North Country, or to view upcoming in-person, virtual and/or telephonic workshops, visit gethealthynoco.org. For details about GHNC workshops, visit gethealthynoco.org/our-workshops.