Those who were part of the 2009 Fitness Challenge got a chance to work out for free at the Fall River YMCA on February 21st in the third Challenge event, this time sponsored by Saint Anne's Hospital and the American Heart Association. Fitness Instructor Karyl Benoit of Saint Anne's Oncology Department led over twenty participants in three twenty-minute workouts set to music in the gym. "I just want people to enjoy the experience," stated Benoit. "The weight loss comes later," she added. Benoit leads exercises for hundreds of participants every spring in the Hospital's annual Get Moving fundraising walk. Following Karyl's workouts, participants were invited to join YMCA aquatics instructor Judy Small for a free session of water aerobics. This kind of exercise is often recommended for people with knee or hip problems who find regular aerobic workouts to be too painful. The Challenge ended with a Zumba session with YMCA fitness trainer Tabitha Gendreau. Saint Anne's Hospital's Coordinator of Public Relations & Marketing Anne Ferreira and Melyssa Beaudry of the Providence office of the Heart Association were on hand to give out information about heart disease, part of the month-long Go Red For Women campaign to increase awareness about heart disease among women. Over 800 people have signed up for the Fitness Challenge that began on January 10, 2009. Click here for the video of the event at the YMCA.  For information on the Challenge, call CD-REC at 508-679-0922 or go to www.FallRiverFitnessChallenge.com.

(Top row, left) Jenny Cabral of the Big Mamas Fitness Challenge Team weighs in with YMCA staffer Danielle Vital before the Challenge. (Top row, center and right) Saint Anne's Hospital Oncology Department fitness instructor Karyl Benoit leads the group in three twenty-minute aerobic workouts to music. (Middle row, right) Team members Rene Morro,  Niki Marzilli, Robin Bouchard, and Jenny Cabral work on getting into shape for the upcoming women's softball season. (Bottom row, left) Lightolier employee Steve Fontaine goes over material provided by Saint Anne's Hospital Coordinator of Public Relations & Marketing Anne Ferreira and Melyssa Beaudry, Corporate Events Director of the Providence office of the Heart Association, right. (Bottom row, center and right) YMCA aquatics instructor Judy Small goes over the benefits of water aerobics with Gloria Bessette and Jeannine Levesque before leading the group that also includes Jennifer Beaulieu, Kristen Cornman and Kerry Barlow from the PINC Fitness Challenge Team from People, Inc.