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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/29/2015 12:00:00 AM CENTRAL
Updated: 1/29/2015 1:24:36 PM CENTRAL
For more information, contact Katie Johnson.
Lake Region Healthcare challenging community to move one million minutes

Twelve-week campaign becomes 2nd annual community wellness challenge

(FERGUS FALLS, Minn.) – Lake Region Healthcare (LRH) is posing a challenge to the local community again this year: move for a collective one million minutes in 12 weeks. The Move It to Maui mission launches during the Fergus Falls Frostbite Festival on Jan. 30, and will commence April 23 with a special event at the Lake Region Healthcare Community Health Expo.

If the community reaches the goal, a trip for two to Maui, Hawaii will be given away at the end of the challenge. Individuals can earn rewards throughout the mission once they reach 500 minutes, 1,000 minutes, 1,500 minutes and 2,000 minutes.

“Move It to Maui is part of the Lake Region wellness and preventative care initiative. Last year, we held the Walk to Waikiki, a six-week challenge to get the community to walk the distance to Waikiki, Hawaii and we ended up walking around the world,” Larry Schulz, CEO of LRH, said. “We had a lot of positive feedback and were overwhelmed by how many people told us the Walk to Waikiki gave them the motivation to start exercising. We’re hoping by opening it up to minutes instead of miles, even more people will get motivated.”

Participants will be able to register, record minutes, view weekly group activities and more at www.lrhc.org/moveit.  Minute logs and drop-off boxes will also be available to the public at LRH, the Fergus Falls YMCA and WestRidge Mall.

“The winter weather can easily make a person unmotivated to exercise. We’re holding weekly group activities and rewarding people for reaching certain minute totals to help motivate,” Schulz said. “Simply moving for ten minutes at a time can improve your health. This is why we’re using the CDC guidelines for physical activity as to what qualifies for the mission.”

The final minute totals and grand prize winner will be announced at the Community Health Expo which will be held at M State on Thursday, April 23. Registrants must be present at the Expo to win the trip to Maui.

“We are eager to see how many minutes we can log because we know how our community rallies,” Schulz said. “Just think, last year’s winner got to go to a warm, sunny beach after walking all those miles.”

Registration is now open online at www.lrhc.org/moveit. For more information on Move It to Maui, please visit www.lrhc.org/moveit or www.facebook.com/ lakeregionhealthcare.

About Lake Region Healthcare

Lake Region Healthcare is living out its vision to be Minnesota's preeminent regional health care partner. With over 80 medical staff and over 900 employees, its team is dedicated to serving its patients and community with integrity, teamwork, compassion and excellence. For more information about Lake Region Healthcare, visit www.lrhc.org.