This year?s winners of the Governor?s Fitness Awards are sure to inspire you to sign up for the Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Run.? Held at Ford Field in Detroit, the winners traveled from all across the state of Michigan to attend. Each of the honorees came with their own unique story and amazing accomplishments to share. Learn more about the award winner?s below and don?t forget to enter the bridge lottery before it closes on May 31, 2012!
The Extraordinary Event/Organization Award:? Southeastern Livingston County Recreation Authority
SELCRA Director Derek Smith accepted the Extraordinary Event/Organization Award.
SELCRA?s commitment is to ensure that recreation services are being offered? at optimal levels to the entire community. SELCRA was officially established to ?contribute and promote healthy lifestyles through the development and enhancement of the Brighton area, regardless of age, physical ability or economic position.? The organization now acts as a recreation department for more than 50,000 Livingston County residents.
Excellent park and recreation services play a significant role throughout people?s lives and in the communities in which they live. SELCRA?s quality of life programs and services include sports, community events, as well as activities for adults, seniors, youth and teens.
The Outstanding Healthy Workplace Award: Grand Rapids Community Foundation
Grand Rapids Community Foundation President Diana Sieger proudly shared her acceptance speech.
The Grand Rapids Community Foundation extends its mission to ?build and manage our community?s permanent endowment and lead the community to strengthen the lives of its people? by offering a variety of health and wellness resources to its employees. Employees are provided with access to internal exercise equipment and staff are encouraged to increase physical activity through their TransPoints program.? Points earned from carpooling, biking and walking to work can be redeemed for local yoga classes, personal trainers, and exercise equipment.?In addition to efforts to create a welcoming and interconnected West Michigan community the Grand Rapids Community Foundation provides a work environment which encourages a healthy lifestyles and work-life balance for all employees.
The Champion for Health Award: Katrina I. Crawley
As Katrina Crawley accepted her award, she recognized current JazzyKat Kids in the audience.
Inspired by her Mother?s motto ?you either volunteer in the community or get a job to help others? Crawley?s commitment to community efforts started early in life.? Attending police community relations meetings and volunteering for various local actions, she dedicated much of her time helping others. In 2000 after the birth of her premature daughter, Crawley?s passion shifted with a new vision of encouraging healthy lifestyles among children and in 2003 Crawley founded JazzyKat, Inc.? The nontraditional company encompasses creativity, innovation, science and education in the areas of childhood fitness, nutrition, and health & wellness promotion.
Receiving overwhelming support and requests for services from the nonprofit community Katrina incorporated into her efforts what is today known as Urban Fit Kids, a nonprofit organization whose focus is to promote physical fitness, health, and nutrition education for children living in urban communities.? She serves as the Program Director for the only health and fitness inspired summer day camp that is held in the city of Detroit.? Crawley along with the JazzyKat staff have inspired, educated, and empowered thousands of children and their families in fitness, nutrition, health and wellness promotion through their organized summer day camp and participation in programs at local schools, faith based and medical communities and community health fairs.
The Conquering Obesity Award: Pete Thomas
Pete Thomas shares his passion for helping others conquer obesity with the event attendees.
Thomas? commitment to healthy living began in November 2005 when he walked away from the finale of NBC?s ?The Biggest Loser? a winner and a loser. He won $100,000 for losing the most weight of all the contestants that season. What he lost was 185 pounds in only nine short months, most of which he lost at home after being ?voted off? by the other contestants. At his largest, Thomas tipped the scales at over 416 lbs.? As a child, Thomas never learned about nutrition and exercise. In his youth, he was often left alone or with his younger sister? forced to find food wherever he could.
More than five years after being voted off the show, Thomas continues to maintain his weight-loss and he?s also inspiring others to become ?Biggest Losers.?? Since 2007, hundreds of individuals have lost thousands of combined pounds with his personally developed his nutrition and exercise program. As a full-time motivational speaker, teacher, author, corporate wellness consultant and spokesperson, Thomas now travels and spreads his ?Winning Principles? to organizations worldwide.
"You don't have to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro," Bill Barkeley says, "inspiration begins with one step."
The Charles T. Kuntzleman Accepting the Challenge Award:? Bill Barkeley
No stranger to challenges, Barkeley is one of 100,000 people in the world who has Usher?s Syndrome, a progressive disease that causes hearing and vision loss over time.? Despite many obstacles Barkeley travels the world as a deaf-blind adventurer and public speaker, inspiring others on how to build a ?Life Without Limits.? ?In 2007 Barkeley completed a groundbreaking climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa that gained international recognition.? Committed to using his endeavors to inspire others, in 2011 he climbed Mount Quandary, competed in the Adventure Team Challenge, and led his second Hear the World Expedition rafting the Colorado River through sections of the Grand Canyon with 17 hearing impaired and deaf teenagers.
On April 16 he completed his first Boston Marathon, a challenge he accepted to raise money in support of The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, the Harvard medical teaching hospital which diagnosed him more than 20 years ago. In many ways Barkeley believes his disease is the best thing that has ever happened to him.? Presented with the opportunity to pay it forward and encourage others to not let their disabilities hold them back gives Barkeley a life rich beyond his wildest imagination.
The Outstanding Public Official Award: George Sedlacek
George Sedlacek shared health tips that were both humorous and knowledgeable.
A tireless promoter of healthy lifestyles, the public official?s commitment to health continues to inspire students and colleagues to advocate for healthy choices. Sedlacek?s work with the Marquette County Health Department helped the department receive the Michigan Department of Public Health Director?s Award in 1984 and in 2005. As an advocate for public health, he assisted with the writing of Michigan?s second smoke free workplace ordinance. His work continued twenty years later, when he helped Michigan to become the 38th state to go smoke free.
Sedlacek?s exceptional programming work has been recognized many times throughout his career and he has received the Governor?s Award for Physical Fitness and Health. His emphasis on removing barriers to physical activity in the community through coalition work is paying dividends. In addition to his public health career, Sedlacek also sets an example for healthy living in his personal life. As an outstanding role model for healthy living, he continually advocates for, organizes and participates in many physical activity events.
Florine Mark engaged the audience in a breathing exercise during her Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech.
The Vern Seefeldt Lifetime Achievement Award: Florine Mark
?If I can help one person live a longer, more fulfilling life, I?ve accomplished what I set out to do.? Although Florine Mark set out to help just one individual, she has in turn helped thousands of Michiganders in their commitment to healthy living. ?As President and CEO of The Michigan Weight Watchers Group, Inc., Mark has transformed the Michigan health care industry by introducing a safe and sustainable weight loss method.? Her commitment to improving the health of others started with the mission to improve her own.? Mark was 50 pounds overweight when she traveled to New York to attend her first Weight Watchers meeting.? More than 40 years later and 50 pounds lighter, with the help of the program, Mark has extended her vision to improving the health of Michigan residents. In 1966 Mark established her business as a means to share with others the lessons she had learned on food, family, health issues and self-esteem.
Today she maintains the Weight Watchers franchises in Canada and her native state of Michigan, where her inspiring advocacy serves as inspiration for more than 40,000 Michigan residents at roughly 600 weekly meetings. Mark?s health and fitness inspired television and radio show allows her to reach and educate thousands each year.? She continues to serve as an advisor and advocate for various committees and civic organizations and shows her dedication to making a positive impact on Michigan through her philanthropic work.? In addition to her contributions to health and nutrition she has served as a motivational speaker who has traveled to health conferences, medical facilities and institutions across the country empowering others and promoting active lifestyles.
The Inspiring Story/Event Award: Detroit Cass Tech Football Team
Coach Thomas Wilcher accepted the award while congratulating his team on another important win.
The 2011 Detroit Cass Tech Football team won the school?s first State Championship, beating the odds and making an improbable run through the playoffs.? The unexpected win served as a beacon of hope for the Detroit Public Schools.? Higher than the state average, Cass Technical High School has an annual 93% graduation rate, and requires that students maintain a 2.5 GPA for enrollment.? The football team finished the regular season with a record of 6-3 and culminated the year with a 49-13 victory over powerhouse Detroit Catholic Central to bring the high school its first Division 1 State Championship.
Following their win, the team received a letter criticizing their victory.? Coach Wilcher went out of his way to represent good sportsmanship for his team and set the example to take the high road regardless of how others behave.? The Governor?s Fitness Awards recognize not only the team victory but also the winning character and integrity that followed.
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