MAHASKA WELLNESS COALITION ENCOURAGES LIVE HEALTHY IOWA CHALLENGE
Healthiest State Initiative
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Jan. 4, 2011 – Live Healthy Iowa’s 100 Day Wellness Challenge kicks off Jan. 23, 2012. Registration is currently open and will close for this cycle on Feb. 29, 2012.
The 100 Day Wellness Challenge is a simple and affordable challenge encouraging Iowans to make healthy choices. Over the course of 100 days, teams (2-10 people) take part in friendly competition, tracking activity minutes and/or weight loss through the Live Healthy Iowa website. The Mahaska Wellness Coalition is embracing the challenge, as a continuation of their involvement with the Healthiest State Initiative. “The coalition set an ambitious goal to have 1,000 Mahaska County residents join the challenge. Over 3,000 people joined us on the Start Somewhere Walk and we want many of them to take that next step,” said Mike Schrock, Oskaloosa City Manager and coalition member.
Clow Valve Company is leading the business community challenge as they have participated in Live Healthy Iowa for several years. “We would like to encourage friendly competition among employers. We want to encourage participation and have fun with it,” said Tiffany Tremmel, wellness coalition member and Clow employee.
“You can form a team with coworkers, neighbors, or religious or social groups. I would like to see our area churches and civic groups form teams. If you need help organizing a team or would like to join a team, call the YMCA and we will be glad to assist you,” added Dawn Collins, coalition member and Mahaska County YMCA Executive Director.
For $20, participants receive a training T-shirt; weekly motivational emails; personal tracking, goal-setting, tools and resources; 100 days of access to TrainingPeaks; health and wellness discounts from across the state; chance to win team and individual incentives; a one-year subscription to a lifestyle magazine; and more. “A $5 coupon is available at Hy-Vee. You can go online or stop in your local Hy-Vee,” said Lisa Hoppman, Oskaloosa Hy-Vee Manager. The coupon will be good until March 1, 2012. Only one coupon is needed per team.
The coalition plans for the county coordinator to track progress of Mahaska County teams. To ensure that we have access to the total number of participants in our county as well as total minutes of activity and pounds lost, please use our assigned group ID when you register. “Our Group ID is LHIMAHASKA,” said Deb Bruxvoort, OACDG. Team captains should use this group ID when they register their teams on-line.”
The Live Healthy Iowa 100 Day Wellness Challenge works well for businesses, communities and organizations wishing to begin a wellness program or to simply enhance an existing wellness program.
Teams should also consider joining the Mahaska Wellness Coalition for their “Step Along With Us” walks, held at noon on the first Friday of the month in Penn Central Mall. The walks are an opportunity to socialize with other program participants and to talk about successes and overcoming set-backs. Meet this Friday, Jan. 6 across the hallway from Napoli’s Italian Restaurant and enjoy health-related trivia as you walk the route inside the mall!
