The Tenth Annual Greater Fall River Fitness Challenge kicked-off on January 14, 2017 at the Kuss Middle School with over 200 people attending and weighing-in for the 12-week series that offers participants information from representatives of more than twenty local organizations. Sponsored by Greater Fall River Re-creation, Partners for a Healthier Community, Saint Anne's Hospital, and Southcoast Health, the event was organized with the participation of Cat Studio,  Fitness Fusion, General Fitness. Greater Fall River Re-creation, SALT Fitness Yoga Cafe, Tabi's Transformations, TKO Fitness, the Fall River YMCA, the Stocio/FIRST FED YMCA in Swansea, and Vitality Obstacle Fitness. During the event, the Southcoast Health Wellness Van was available to provide free screenings. The Challenge offers low cost opportunities for those who live, work or attend school in the Greater Fall River Area to get fit, lose weight, have fun and win prizes. Registration is open through the end of January, and many people will register and weigh-in at their workplace in the coming weeks. Click here for a ten-minute video of the event. Click here for the Herald News story and photos. Click here for photos from last year. Call CD-REC at 508-679-0922 for more information or go to the Facebook page.

(Top row) First time Challenge participant Jennifer McKnight signs in with Greater Fall River Re-creation Executive Director Grace Gerling before Natalie Papaleo stops at the BMC HealthNet Plan table to get a bag for the items she'll pick up around the gym. (Row two) Members of Cat Studio led by Jessica Williams and the Fitness Fusion team led by Greg Medeiros demonstrate their workouts. (Row three) As more demonstrations go on and people visit the various tables, Natalie weighs in with Gillian Martin in the cafeteria. (Row four) Cindy Piques looks over the General Fitness schedule with owner Scott Fastino as Nicole Vieira and Lillian Correa fill out their registration information and Sandy Cordeiro looks over some Bike Fall River and WalkFallRiver brochures. (Row five, left and right) Larry Como plans to join the Challenge after recently retiring and Joanne Petrasso talks with Fall River Mass In Motion Coordinator Julianne Kelly. (Row five, center) Sandy Coleman of General Fitness leads a demo group.) (Row six) Jillian Marie Zucco, Miss Bristol County 2017, directs one of the participants to the registration table while School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard talks with Cynthia Rapoza and Sue Jew and then Kami Pacheco, Aiden Medeiros and Liam Raposo about sugar-sweetened beverages, mentioning that Patriot's Quarterback Tom Brady doesn't drink soda.  (Row seven) (Row seven) Andre Gadbois of SALT Fitness Yoga Cafe talks with Jillian while Luciana Reed demonstrates her pole skills and the Cat Studio group works out for the crowd. (Bottom row) Matt Oliveira of Upbeat Entertainment DJs the music while Partners Community Outreach Manager Jack Shipley and Challenge Coordinator Annemarie Holly register April Estrela and Victoria Vasconcelos and Re-Creation staff member Troy Hood logs in the registrants.