Muskogee Walks This Weigh!

Muskogee County Walk This Weigh was a huge success.  We planned weekly for six weeks, putting together the format, making contacts and organizing the event.  It was an collaborative effort including Kim Shelton: Muskogee Public School Food Services, Mark Wilkerson: Director Muskogee Parks and Recreation Department, Karen Allen: Oklahoma School for the Blind, Amy Duvall: Director of Health Solutions Fitness Center, Janise Thompson: Retired Nurse Volunteer, Melinda Obal: Northeastern State University Intern, Julie Miller: Northeastern State University Intern, Etter Nottingham: Volunteers of America Of Oklahoma-RSVP Senior Citizens, Larry Hoffman: Local Business Sector, Ched Wetz: Muskogee Regional Medical Center, Virginia Stanley: OSU Extension, Paula Dean: Muskogee Public Schools 21st Century, Martha Alford: Muskogee County Health Department.  It amazingly all came together and attracted more people than we ever dreamed.  We had well over 20 people planning and executing the event.

The Arrowhead Mall was the chosen location of our Walk This Weigh, October 2 kick-off.  A few of us arrived at 6:00 am to catch the early walkers, who participate in the Malls’ mile walker program.  At 8:00 am, the crew was coming in to set up for the event.  We had quite an assembly line going beginning with Health Department and RSVP staffing sign-in and the knowledge test table.  Muskogee Regional Hospital and Muskogee Vo-Tech provided pre-screening nurses and supplies for blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol.  Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services provided height, weight, body fat percent, and BMI’s.  Muskogee Parks and Recreation provided pedometer calibration and distribution of gifts. Mike Ebert from Walmart donated $1,000.00, Kevin Hearn of McDonalds donated water, passport journals and pedometers. The Sadler Arts Academy students were on hand to give out milk. 

The celebrity walk around the one-half mile mall inside perimeter occurred around 9:00 am with who’s who in Muskogee participating, lead by the mayor Hershel McBride.  It was a continuous day of participation from the community.  We processed 539 people through the pre-tests continuously working until all our supplies were exhausted.  We gave away over 600 pedometers and passports, t-shirts, water, milk, and mugs in five and a half hours.  With daily calls continuing for pedometers and passports, we lit a real fire in the community.

The Muskogee Public Schools participated with 1098 kids walking throughout the day in their P.E. programs.  Karen Allen: Oklahoma School for the Blind, Lance Jeanes: Benjamin Franklin Science Academy, Cindy Wayman: Harris Jobe Elementary, Lori Martin: 7th & 8th Grade Center, and Jimmie Rozell: Whittier Elementary.

In addition, October 15, 2003, the Parks and Recreation Department participated in the Apple Cider Day program with the City of Muskogee and signed up 70 more participants in the Walk This Weigh program.  Grand Total 1707. 

 Muskogee Walk This Weigh Sponsors

  •  Sadler Arts Academy Kids: Hiland Dairy Milk
  •  Weight Watchers: T-shirts and pedometers
  •  RSVP: Mugs and gifts
  •  McDonalds: water, passports, pedometers
  •  Loves Bottling: water, t-shirts
  •  Arrowhead Mall
  •  Walmart: $1000.00