About fifty people attended the first Fitness Challenge Rally on February 2nd at Community Development Recreation (CD-REC) on Bank Street to get weighed in and to hear some motivational words from the organizers. As of that date, 951 participants with a total weight of 176,086, had enrolled in the Challenge that goes until May 5th. Of those who weigh-in at CE-REC, a total of 418 pounds has been lost in the first two weeks of the program; those who weigh-in at Durfee High School lost 110lbs; and the people who weigh-in at the Diabetes Association llost 168 lbs. The Challenge offers participants low-cost Zumba classes, low-impact aerobic classes at the Diabetes Association, Inc, senior stretching, kickboxing and personal training, as well as nutrition classes throughout the week. Participants can also use the pool at the Boys and Girls club on Bedford Street during specified hours. Participants are eligible to win prizes through drawings held throughout the Challenge. Click here for photos of the press event announcing the Challenge. Click here for the Herald News article about the news conference. Click here for the photos of the weigh-in. Contact Bill Daponte at 508-672-5671 or CD-REC Program Director Grace Gerling, 508-679-0922, for more information.

(Top row, left) Gail Boucher of the Weight Warriors team steps off the scale happy to learn from Jennifer Souza that she lost nearly ten pounds in the first two weeks of the Challenge. (Top row, center) CD-REC Program Director Jamison Souza passes out information about upcoming Challenge events. (Top row, right) Holly Bronhard and Yvonne Rogers applaud the groups efforts to get fit. (Middle row) Rebecca O'Connor, Muriel McHugh and Clara Fallon listen as Certified Personal Trainer Amy Jones of  Where Is The Work-Out talks about how much exercise it takes to burn off 230 calories from just nine Hershey Kisses. (Bottom row, center) Amy presents Paula Paradise with a gift basket from Three Sisters in a Basket. Lightolier employee Stephan Fontaine also won a gift certificate to the Mesa 21 restaurant. (Bottom row, right) Kim Hans and thirteen-year-old Derek Desrosiers talk with Bill Daponte of the Diabetes Association about the Families Preventing Diabetes course.