Eufaula Walks This Weigh!

It was a beautiful, windy day and everyone had a great time supporting one another in their collective efforts to get healthier.  Counting everyone, approximately 130 health-conscious residents turned out for the launch of Eufaula’s year-long Walk This Weigh campaign, Friday, Oct. 17th, 2003.  The walk started at the Eufaula Inspiration Garden with a sign-in and health screenings which included cholesterol and blood sugar screenings, Body Mass Index calculation and blood pressures.  They took a short health knowledge survey and received literature related to walking, losing weight and eating healthy for busy families, a pedometer courtesy of McDonalds and Weight Watchers, a Weight Watchers T-Shirt and other items. Gary Smoot, from the local McDonald’s was there with ice cold bottled water.

The group split into teams and shuttled to Burdine’s Farm Supply for a group weigh-in on their old cotton gin scales.  At the end of the program, the weigh-in will be repeated to see how much, collectively, the group lost.

The first group, the Red Team, included 28 people who weighed a total of 4180 pounds.  The Blue Team, comprised of 28 people who weighed a collective 4570 pounds. The Orange Team fielded 19 people, of whom 12 weighed in at 2515 pounds.

After the Weigh-In, the group assembled again at the Inspiration Garden and, led by Rep. Ray Miller and Mayor Dean Smith, walked 1⁄2 mile around Lakeshore Drive and back.  When they reached the half way mark, they gonged the High School Band’s gong!

Scott Robison from Creek Nation Diabetes Prevention Program, conducted warm up/cool down stretches; the Retired Senior Volunteer Program  volunteers gave out collapsible water bottles; Clark Davis MC’d the event, and played music so participants could dance the Macarena and many people showed off their “line dancing” skills!  

Groups are meeting to plan programs throughout the year to keep the momentum going with walking programs around the area.

Eufaula Walk This Weigh Sponsors 

  • McDonald’s – Local and Corporate
  • Weight Watchers
  • Hillcrest Healthcare System
  • Oklahoma Turning Point Council
  • McIntosh County Health Department
  • Youth Emergency Shelter
  • Eufaula Pharmacy
  • Mr. Printer
  • City of Eufaula
  • Creek Nation Indian Health
  • Burdine Farm Supply
  • McIntosh County Coalition for a Healthy Community
  • Clark Davis
  • Lake Eufaula Association
  • Deep Fork Community Action Foundation
  • Department of Human Services
  • OSU Cooperative Extension
  • Pittsburg County Health Department
  • RSVP

Move It! and Prevent Diabetes Program

 The Muscogee Creek Nation Diabetes Program and the McIntosh County Community Coalition in conjunction with Walk This Weigh are working together to provide the “Move It! on Route 66 and Prevent Diabetes” program for the 1st – 6th grade students of Stidham, Hanna, Dustin, and Ryal schools.  This program encourages after school exercise and physical activity.  Each class in the school in traveling the Historic Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles by exercising in 30 minute increments (each 30 minute coupon is worth 5 miles for their class). 

The program kick off assembly was held at each school at the beginning of November.  Cyndi Gilks, Manager of the Tribal CHR program, and Woody Hansen of the Cherokee CHR program mesmerized the students with their skit using the Wizard of Oz’s Scarecrow and Dorothy and the Scarecrow’s need to be more physical active. 

Each week, Scott Robison of the tribal diabetes program and Tressia Ables of the Health Department will be visiting the schools and working with the students in their classrooms and physical education classes to educated the students on the prevention of diabetes and the importance of a physically active lifestyle.  Each month prizes are also give out to the students who have been exercising.  This month prizes will be given out to students at each school and the teacher whose classroom has traveled the farthest on Route 66 at each school will receive $200 for classroom materials.  The 2nd and 3rd place teachers at each school will receive $100 and $50.