Activate Eastern Shore

Start moving and register for the fitness challenge today. Log in at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day, 3 days a week, and we’ll encourage your hard work by entering you into a drawing for weekly prizes. Keep it up for 10 weeks and you’ll be entered into the drawing for grand prizes. Register individually or put together a team and challenge other teams. Losers wash winners cars or buys them frozen yogurt. Anything you decide. Just get moving! Challenge ends November 21. www.activateeasternshore.com

Activate Eastern Shore, the Fitness Challenge

Begun in 2011 and held annually since, this environmental change initiative challenges individuals and organizations to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, at least 3 days per week, and log that activity into a database over the period of time set for the challenge – sometimes 12 weeks, sometimes 10 weeks. The purpose is to create a fun way of starting lifelong habits of moving more and to dedicate a period of time where media messages inundate the environment to eat well and exercise.  Those meeting the Challenge are entered into weekly drawings for prizes as incentive to keep moving.  At the end of the Challenge, prizes are awarded to those who’ve met the challenge for the entire challenge period.  Individuals and organizations can enter the challenge.  Organizations form teams and challenge other organizations.  The challengers name the prize, for example, the losers must purchase frozen yogurt for the winners, and compete for bragging rights.

In 2011 we held our first 12-week fitness challenge from March 18 through June 19.  In all 644 individuals participated, including 200 second-graders in both Accomack and Northampton Counties. In 2012, 601 individuals met the challenge.  In 2013 518 participants met the 10-week challenge and Eastern Shore Rural Health Services, Inc. challenged Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital and won! Riverside treated Rural Health employees to frozen yogurt.  We look forward to a bigger and better 2014 Challenge.  Click here for details.

 

The Fitness Challenge has been funded by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and the Eastern Shore Family YMCA for its first three years.  Danny Vestal (Eastern Shore Family YMCA and YMCA Camp Silver Beach) served as chair and is now co-chair with Andre Elliott (Eastern Shore Family YMCA).