Winter Warm-Up Challenge
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THRIVE!’s Walking Challenge this past fall (see below) grew into a two-community challenge between the Keystone Local School District, represented by the KEY collaborative; and Wellington, represented by the THRIVE! collaborative.
It became the “Winter Warm-Up” Challenge, taking place from January 24 to February 14, 2021. Both Team KEY and Team THRIVE! encouraged participants to stay active during winter by earning “steps” from walking, swimming, shoveling snow and other activities -- even vacuum cleaning. Participants logged daily steps on Lorain County Walks, created by THRIVE! Partner Lorain County Public Health. |
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Helpful tips on "steps."
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(left to right) Deb Lansman, Pam Mazzone and Mary Lou Harris walking
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Main Street Wellington's Newsletter
on the Challenge |
Team THRIVE! -- The Winner!
Team THRIVE! won the challenge, with a total team average of 8,767 steps. Team KEY put up a strong fight, with a daily team average of 7,856 steps. THRIVE! won official “bragging rights” over the Challenge, forcing Mayor Kim Strauss of LaGrange to wear Duke’s spirit gear in shame for a day.
Deb Lansman of Team THRIVE! earned the highest number of steps and won a gift certificate from a local business. Mary Kay Gates had the highest number of steps from Team KEY and also received a gift card.
The Winter Warm-Up Challenge was an exhilarating way to fight off the cold-weather doldrums and keep fit. Let’s keep it up next year!
Deb Lansman of Team THRIVE! earned the highest number of steps and won a gift certificate from a local business. Mary Kay Gates had the highest number of steps from Team KEY and also received a gift card.
The Winter Warm-Up Challenge was an exhilarating way to fight off the cold-weather doldrums and keep fit. Let’s keep it up next year!
Worksite Wellness Walking Challenge
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For the whole month of November 2020, THRIVE! Southern Lorain County sponsored a Worksite Wellness Walking Challenge for teams belonging to businesses and organizations in the Wellington area.
Jenny Arntz, executive director of Main Street Wellington, coordinated the event, and Lorain County Public Health provided an online portal where participants could register their steps on a weekly basis. The team with the highest number of steps throughout November won the competition. The winners were local women who made up the SGR group. They split a prize of $250 worth of Bread-N-Brew gift certificates, funded by THRIVE!. The Spirit Awards The Challenge also included individual prizes, the “Spirit Awards.” Those who participated in the Challenge could nominate individuals based on their participation, social media presence and progress. Three winners were announced in late December: Deb Lansman of Lansman Shape Shop and Pati Shellhouse and Pam Mazzone, both retired teachers. The women could choose between a Fitbit Inspire or a $50 gift certificate for Bread-N-Brew. There were plenty of warm comments for the winners. About Deb Lansman one individual wrote: “Deb keeps us moving, she zooms with us three times a week, she encourages the Young at Heart group.” Pati Shellhouse received this compliment: “She checked in with us every day to see how we were doing and encouraged us.” Pam Mazzone was the third recipient of the Spirit Awards. One of her team members said about her, “Pam helped coordinate our group and was always the first to remind us to keep walking. She also shared pictures of her participation in the Challenge. Yeah, Pam!” Congratulations, Spirit Award Winners! |
Deb Lansman
Pam Mazzone
Pati Shellhouse
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The SGR group, winners of the Challenge. From lower left to right: Mary Lou Harris, Pam Mazzone, Pati Shellhouse, Jean Ziegler Linden, Karen Conley and Kathie Stiles. Santa is in the center (and a good-looking Santa, at that!).
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And the Winner Is ...For details of the Challenge, see content below.
The first THRIVE! Worksite Wellness Walking Challenge was a resounding success. Taking place throughout the month of November, the Challenge enlisted 15 teams made up of 78 energized participants. THRIVE! sponsored the Challenge, Main Street Wellington managed it and Lorain County Public Health provided the Lorain County Walks online portal for walkers to record their steps (on a Fitbit or pedometer) on a weekly basis. At the end of November, the team with the most steps would win the competition. The SGR group, composed of Wellington-area women, was the winner of the Challenge, averaging a whopping 14,000 steps a day. That translates into seven long miles daily! |
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Karen Conley, "vacuuming" her steps
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Jean Linden and Pati Shellhouse at Oberlin's Splash Zone
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Kathie Stiles warming up
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Mary Lou Harris
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Pam Mazzone
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Jenny Arntz, coordinator of the Challenge, with family
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Pati, an SGR team member, said, “First, I reached my established goal, which made me feel pretty good. Second, I am so proud of our team for going above and beyond. This is one fine group of ladies.”
Said Charlotte, another walker: “I challenged myself to get up and walk during the afternoons. This added to my total steps and gave me more energy to complete the day less tired.” When asked what she learned she commented, “That I can accomplish more than I thought I could.”
Added Jennifer Arntz, executive director of Main Street Wellington, “When I first had the idea for a Challenge [and proposed it to THRIVE! Partners], I didn’t think it would fly. I’m still astonished at the number of folks who participated!”
The Grand Prize
The winning team could choose between $250 worth of Bread-N-Brew gift certificates or a water cooler with five-gallon water jugs. SGR chose the gift certificates. The restaurant features several healthy foods – lower in sodium and fat – that are designated by a green apple on the menu. This is a result of a THRIVE! initiative to encourage people to choose healthy alternatives when dining out.
Main Street Wellington will soon announce winners of the Challenge’s “Spirit Awards” for three individuals. “Spirit” winners earn points based on their participation, social media presence and progress. Walking Challenge participants can nominate their favorites until December 15 by tagging @thrivesoloco or #thriveslcwalkingchallenge.
Walkers are also urged to submit the post-Challenge survey by December 15 to Jenny Arntz at jarntz@mainstreetwellington.com.
Said Charlotte, another walker: “I challenged myself to get up and walk during the afternoons. This added to my total steps and gave me more energy to complete the day less tired.” When asked what she learned she commented, “That I can accomplish more than I thought I could.”
Added Jennifer Arntz, executive director of Main Street Wellington, “When I first had the idea for a Challenge [and proposed it to THRIVE! Partners], I didn’t think it would fly. I’m still astonished at the number of folks who participated!”
The Grand Prize
The winning team could choose between $250 worth of Bread-N-Brew gift certificates or a water cooler with five-gallon water jugs. SGR chose the gift certificates. The restaurant features several healthy foods – lower in sodium and fat – that are designated by a green apple on the menu. This is a result of a THRIVE! initiative to encourage people to choose healthy alternatives when dining out.
Main Street Wellington will soon announce winners of the Challenge’s “Spirit Awards” for three individuals. “Spirit” winners earn points based on their participation, social media presence and progress. Walking Challenge participants can nominate their favorites until December 15 by tagging @thrivesoloco or #thriveslcwalkingchallenge.
Walkers are also urged to submit the post-Challenge survey by December 15 to Jenny Arntz at jarntz@mainstreetwellington.com.
Many employees in the Wellington area got their walking papers – for THRIVE! Southern Lorain County’s Worksite Wellness Walking Challenge, that is.
THRIVE!, a community collaborative funded by United Way of Greater Lorain County, has a three-part mission to improve the physical, nutritional and social/emotional health of southern Lorain County residents. “THRIVE!’s Walking Challenge presents an opportunity to address key health issues facing many southern Lorain County residents. A 2019 Lorain County Health Assessment reported that 32 percent of adults were overweight, and 38 percent were obese based on body mass index (BMI),” said Carol Burke, facilitator of THRIVE!. Added Jennifer Arntz, executive director of Main Street Wellington, which is managing the Challenge, “Stress from COVID-19 cancellations and closings has hurt morale in many businesses. Walking and other physical activities are a great way to reduce stress and have fun. A friendly group competition can also build team spirit and rapport within companies.” 
Businesses and organizations in the Wellington area formed teams and signed up for the Walking Challenge, which begins Sunday, November 1 through Monday, November 30.
Each walker must log in the number of steps he or she takes on a Fitbit or pedometer and report the total number of steps walked each week using the Lorain County Public Health portal: https://walks.loraincountyhealth.com/. Participants will be able to track their team’s progress against other teams throughout the Challenge. For those without a tracking device, THRIVE! will provide walkers with pedometers free of charge. The team that accrues the most steps will win the Challenge. A total of 14 teams with 46 employee-walkers have signed up for the Challenge. They include SLCAD EMS, North Coast Wireless, Wellington United Church of Christ, SGR [Town Hall Walkers], Rochester Roadies, On Track Nutrition, PT Services, Colonial Barbershop/Heather’s Massage Therapy, LCCC-Wellington Center, Allstate Insurance, King Realty, Main Street Wellington and THRIVE! Southern Lorain County. Prizes!
THRIVE! is funding the prizes, which include:
Team Prize (for one business): a choice of $250 worth of Bread-N-Brew gift certificates or a water cooler with three, five-gallon water jugs (valued at $275) “Spirit Awards” (for up to three people). Teams will nominate a Spirit Award recipient by filling out a form between December 1 and December 15, 2020. Participants are encouraged to get photos of themselves walking and then posting their progress on social media. They will earn points toward the Spirit Award, based on their participation, social media presence and progress, when their colleagues tag @thrivesoloco or #thriveslcwalkingchallenge. The Spirit Award includes the choice of a Fitbit Inspire or a $50 gift certificate to Bread-N-Brew. |
Not Just Walking!While the name of THRIVE!’s program is “Walking Challenge,” you can do other activities as you see fit. When you log into the Lorain County Public Health portal -- https://walks.loraincountyhealth.com/ -- it will take you to the “dashboard,” where you’ll see “Steps,” “My Challenges,” etc. Go to the far right and click on “Activity Translator.” You’ll see all sorts of activities, such as golfing, raking leaves, power walking. Click on your activity. Then, type in the number of minutes you performed the activity and it will translate it into number of steps. Easy!
INDOORS
Village of Wellington Town Hall (GYMNASIUM), 115 Willard Memorial Square, Wellington; tel. 440-647-4626. Indoor walking, Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. https://www.villageofwellington.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Town-Hall-1 OUTDOORS Jenny Arntz literally measured the distance of walking around Union School Park for all you walkers! It’s .38 mile! Findley State Park, 25381 State Route 58, Wellington; tel. 440-647-5749. Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., 7 days a week https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/ohio/findley-state-park Leininger Park, State Route 58 just south of State Route 162, Huntington Township; tel. 440-647-0040. Hours: Dawn to dusk (daylight hours), 7 days a week http://www.huntingtontwp.org/leininger-park.html Lorain County Fairgrounds, 23000 Fairgrounds Road, Wellington; tel. 440-647-2781. Hours: Dawn to dusk (daylight hours), 7 days a week https://loraincountyfair.com/ Lorain County Metro Parks: ▪ Carlisle Reservation,12882 Diagonal Road, LaGrange; tel. 440-458-5121. Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, 7 days a week https://www.google.com/maps/place/Carlisle+Reservation/@41.299879,-82.1382308,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8830a184ff5b25c1:0x2f21a9b3771a075e!8m2!3d41.299879!4d-82.1360421 ▪ Caley Reservation, 18207 West Road, Pittsfield Township; tel. 440-458-5121. Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, 7 days a week https://www.google.com/maps/place/Caley+Reservation/@41.2188697,-82.1766237,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8830a6556d9521eb:0x1aeb80a09cf807cd!8m2!3d41.2193688!4d-82.1806346 ▪ Wellington Reservation, 535 Jones Road, Wellington; tel. 440-647-2509. Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, 7 days a week https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wellington+Reservation/@41.1471581,-82.2335397,17z/data=!3m1-1 |
