Thrive Program Director Damaris Kunkler greatly underestimated the response this year’s Movement program would receive. She estimated around 40,000 minutes of activity from the participants — they have logged over 81,000. FINAL weigh-ins will be Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Thrive Allen County office or Terry’s Flowers in Humboldt. Registrants have been encouraged to mark their weight loss on a scale that has been sitting on the floor in Thrive. There will be a winner announced for the most weight lost, with a prize of three months of personal training from Salena Trabuc (see accompanying story).
The eight-week program, meant to motivate people to maintain a healthy lifestyle, was titled “Meltdown” for its first four years. For the fifth year, Kunkler realized that many people had met their weight-loss goals but still needed the program to keep active, hence the name change.
“It totally exceeded expectations,” Kunkler said of the registration. As of Wednesday, there were nearly 350 people signed up. For the first time, Kunkler utilized Facebook as a resource for the groups and she has seen an outstanding response.
“I’m so pleased with the way the Facebook group has turned out,” she said. “It makes everyone feel like they’re on the same team. It brings people together.”
Participants were encouraged to post their “minutes” on the page, pictured at left. Minutes were recorded any time someone was active during the day — whether it was playing with grandchildren or jogging five miles. Also, if registrants posted pictures with their Movement T-shirts on Thursdays, they were entered into a raffle for prizes, with a drawing on the final day of the program, June 26.
“Facebook will reach out to you, instead of you having to come to a page,” Kunkler said of the social media website. She said it motivated people to stay active, by reading what participants were doing on a daily basis and encouraging others.
“My biggest surprise is that we have gotten somebody to do it on their own will,” Kunkler said. “Everybody is doing this on their own.”
Several businesses across Allen County encouraged their employees to register for the Movement by paying costs up-front. Kunkler said Gates Corporation sponsored 75 employees, Moran Manor 57; Community National Bank and Community Living Opportunities paid for all of their staffs.
While the Movement did not post its highest numbers — there were over 400 registered for the first year — this year’s event had no outside grant support. Kunkler said the response was far more than she could have hoped for.
A SOCIAL ‘MOVEMENT’ Facebook helps ignite Thrive fitness program
