Moving Starke County Forward Announces New Challenge

movingstarkeforwardMoving Starke County Forward organizers are striving to improve health outcomes for local residents with a new healthy challenge. They cite statistics from 2011 that indicate 37 percent of adults ages 20 and over in Starke County reported no leisure-time physical activity. They say this plays a factor in Starke County ranking 90th of 92 counties in terms of healthy outcomes.

As part of the new challenge, residents are urged to walk. Doing so for at least 30 minutes a day lowers your risk for heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. Participants in the new challenge can track the days they walk in September and send the information to Moving Starke County Forward during the first week of October. Click  Walking Challenge Calendar for more information.

The new challenge comes on the heels of the recently completed Healthy Challenge Series. Participants in that fitness challenge were encouraged to log fitness miles each week for a shot at NASCAR-themed prizes. Team and individual awards were presented during Saturday’s WoodStarke Festival at Wythogan Park.

Arlene Noble and Team Bourff won the Hamlet 500 challenge; May Crider and Team Bourff cruised to victory lane in the San Pierre 750; and Arlene Noble and Team Bourff captured the checkered flag in the Schricker 1000. Participants racked up a total of 7,030 miles in the three challenges.

Arlene Noble was the overall winner, with 1,118 miles, while the five members of Team Bourff recorded 1,310. Honorable mentions went to Samantha Mattes with 465 and May Crider with 458. Team Origer recorded 566 miles, and Starke County Community Corrections logged 479.