Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. took home the trophy as the winning team in the first-ever Northern Blair County Corporate Fitness Challenge.
It was a weight loss competition organized by the Northern Blair County Recreation Center (NBCRC) and the Tyrone Fitness and Wellness Center (TFWC) as part of an effort to encourage local residents to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
The Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. team averaged a weight, body fat percentage and body mass loss of 14.74 percent. It led the pack of eight companies that participated in the challenge.
“We were surprised and excited to learn we were the winners,” said Mike Sweitzer, plant manager at Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. “We appreciate the effort and hard work of the 11 members of the Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. team. We think there are real benefits from our participation. We look forward to participating next year and in the future.”
The Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. team champions will be the first to receive the challenge’s traveling trophy to display at their facility. Team members will receive T-shirts recognizing them as the 2014 challenge champions and a catered healthy lunch. The trophy will remain at Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. until the winners of the 2015 Northern Blair Corporate Fitness Challenge are determined.
“The Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. team is not just the challenge champion, they are champions in life,” says Murray Fetzer, TFWC director. “They have made changes that have improved their health and lowered their risk of certain diseases. That’s the big win!”
Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. had some stiff competition from other companies that participated in the challenge. DelGrosso’s held the second place position by a razor thin margin of 14.70 percent throughout the competition with Omni Home Health and Kunzler’s a short step behind with average losses of 12.48 percent and 12.27 percent, respectively.
Richard Bishop, NBCRC director, said “It is a tremendous challenge to transform old habits and poor choices into positive, healthy practices to develop a longer healthier lifestyle.
“It will take education and many more programs like this to help people change their habits. Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. and the other teams are role models and an inspiration for others-it can be done!”
The Northern Blair County Corporate Fitness Challenge was sponsored by the Northern Blair County Recreation Center, Tyrone Fitness and Wellness Center and Shoe Fly\New Balance Altoona.
The goal of the challenge was for participants to collectively lose 1,000 pounds. More than 175 individuals were involved in the challenge through teams at their workplaces. The teams exceeded the overall weight loss goal with a total of 1,090 pounds.
Fetzer and Bishop agreed that the next big “challenge” for the team members is maintenance. “The 2015 challenge will give everyone something to stay focused on,” said Bishop.
“The teamwork that played a role in everyone’s weight loss and healthier living can also play a role in helping participants to become more productive in the workplace and aid in lowering health costs.”
Fetzer noted that the NBCRC and TFWC are available to serve as ongoing resources to help, as well.
The Northern Blair County Corporate Fitness Challenge ran from January through April. Participants’ weight and body fat were measured at the start and then monthly.
Challenge participants had access to TFWC’s Registered Nurse Health Coach Lannette Johnston. Johnston and Donna Bell from NBCRC also served as resources for physical activity options.
A recent Community Health Needs Assessment completed in Blair County by the Healthy Blair County Coalition showed that obesity and being overweight is a top health issue locally along with diabetes, one of the diseases that can develop as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle.
The Northern Blair County Corporate Fitness Challenge was organized in an effort to encourage area residents to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which includes but is not limited to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active. Being overweight and sedentary increases a person’s risk for a variety of diseases, such as diabetes, heart and blood vessel disease, joint problems and more.
Businesses that participated in the Northern Blair County Corporate Fitness Challenge included Chicago Rivet & Machine Co., DelGrosso Foods, Kunzler, Omni Home Care, Shoe Fly\New Balance Altoona, Pittsburgh Glass Works, Caterpillar Day Care, Martin’s Food and American Eagle Paper Mills.
For more information about the Northern Blair Corporate Fitness Challenge or to sign up for the challenge in 2015, contact Murray Fetzer at TFWC at 814-505-5234 or mfetzer@tyronehospital.org or Richard Bishop at NBCRC at 814-742-9500 or rjb76@nbcrc.com.
