LRH Challenges Community to Launch into the New Year by Moving for Better Health
(FERGUS FALLS, Minn.) – Lake Region Healthcare (LRH) is posing its biggest challenge yet to the community this year: move for a collective 238,900 miles (the distance from the earth to the moon) during its 2017 Community Health Challenge - Shoot for the Moon. The challenge officially kicks off on Monday, January 9th. Weekly progress will be reported and if the community reaches the goal, a $3500 travel voucher good to the winner’s destination of choice will be given at the Community Health Expo on April 20th.
The “Shoot for the Moon” challenge is part of the Lake Region wellness and preventative care initiative. After the “Walk to Waikiki” in 2014 and the “Move it to Maui” challenge in 2015 and “Around the World in 80 Days” Challenge in 2015, we have had a lot of positive feedback,” said LRH CEO Larry Schulz. “The challenge is designed to give people a little extra motivation to start exercising or to keep exercising in the cold winter months, and hopefully continue the activity as part of a lifestyle commitment,” he added.
Participants can register, record physical activity, view weekly progress and more at www.lrhc.org/ToTheMoon. Mileage logs and drop-off boxes are also available to the public at the front desk of the LRH Main Clinic, Hospital lobby and Mehl Center Health & Wellness HUB.
“Any physical activity counts and it doesn’t take much for the miles to start adding up,” 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 and giving you an easy conversion chart to translate your activity into mileage.” There will be weekly updates on the community progress along with tips for healthy living in all seven components of wellness, Schulz said. “We are also partnering with several groups & locations throughout the community to highlight the many opportunities we have to be active, including the YMCA and their Run for Joy and the Center for the Arts “Walk to Broadway” for example,” he said.
The Karen Nyberg exhibit at the Otter Tail County Historical Society is the first partnership of the event. LRH has placed spin bikes at the exhibit and is offering to pay the admission for any Shoot for the Moon challenge participants who want to stop by and bike while they enjoy photos taken during the Vining native’s stay on the International Space Station in 2013.
The final mileage tally and grand prize winner will be announced at the Community Health Expo which will be held at the Bigwood Event Center in Fergus Falls on April 20th. Registrants must be present at the Expo to win the Shoot for the Moon travel voucher and other prizes.
“We are eager to see how the community rallies to meet this challenge,” Schulz said. “We will need to double the mileage logged last year to reach the goal, so if everyone invites a friend to join the challenge this year, we think it’s possible.”
Registration is now open online at www.lrhc.org/ToTheMoon. For more information on the challenge visit the website or www.facebook.com/lakeregionhealthcare, or call 218.736.8193.
About Lake Region Healthcare
Lake Region Healthcare is living out its vision to be Minnesota's preeminent regional health care partner. With over 80 providers 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.
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