By KARIN M. CLACK
Wilkes Journal-Patriot Staff

WEST WILKES MIDDLE RAISES $2,500 FOR NEW FITNESS EQUIPMENT

People from age 5 to 92 walked or ran Tuesday night during West Wilkes Middle School’s health and fitness fair held at the school. Dr. Joseph Sinclair, executive director of Northwest Regional Educational Service Alliance (NWRESA), creator of the 6 to 96 Fitness Challenge, recently challenged West Middle Principal Cynthia Altemueller to walk or run in a fitness challenge.  In turn, Mrs. Altemueller challenged students, staff and community members to par­ticipate in the fitness challenge. 

Leading by example was Sinclair’s fitness team, which consisted of exercise specialist Sarah Campbell, Staff Sgt. George Campbell and Sgt. Andrew Sapula, both members of the N.C. National Guard. Both men served a year tour in Iraq. 

Sinclair announced at the beginning of the event that for every minute his team continued to run, $40 would be contributed toward the fitness challenge. His team ran 6.2 miles. In addition, after Sinclair finished the 40-minute run, he then sat down at a Concept 2 rowing machine and rowed for 10 minutes.

A 1/5th-mile route was mapped out through the school. Starting in the gym, participants had to run five laps to run a mile.

Before the health and fit­ness night concluded, $2,500 was contributed. Monies will be used to purchase health and fitness equipment and resources for the school. 

In addition to Sinclair’s team, runners during Tuesday’s event were Josh Watts, seventh grader; Katelyn Bumgarner, eighth grader; Jason Adams, seventh-grade teacher; Pauline Taylor, PE teacher; Seth Taylor, sixth grader; Brian Huffman, sixth-grade teacher; Dustin Johnston, sixth grader; and Army National Guard member and Iraqi vet­eran Gayle Stiehm and her daughter, Elizabeth. 

Walkers were Mrs. Altemueller and her two sons, Will, 8, and Matthew, 5 and her husband, John; and Bern Moran, the oldest par­ticipant at age 92.Ms. Moran walks a mile three times a week on a treadmill, noted Mrs. Altemueller, who added Ms. Moran is her husband’s “surrogate” grandmother. Promoting health, fitness, an assortment of health-re­lated information and fitness equipment was on hand during the evening, provided by various organizations and businesses.

These included Be Active Appalachian, calibrating pedometers; Concept 2, demon­stration of a rowing machine; Tranquillity Falls Day Spa & Salon, massage table; Apple City Fitness, exercise/fitness; YMCA, exercise/fitness; Wilkes County Health Department, Body Mass Index (BMI), nutrition; Wal-Mart Vision Center, safety glasses, athletic glasses, contact lens care kits; Wilkes County Schools, drug and tobacco awareness; Wilkes Dental Health Clinic, dental demonstrations, dental supplies; American Red Cross, first-aid demonstrations; and Family Chiropractic, health information.

Wilkes Regional Medical Center had eight booths set up in the gym providing an array of information and tests. Tests included checking osteoporosis density, pulse oxygen level and blood pressure and heart rate.  A representative from Hospice of Wilkes and Home Care was available providing information on advanced directives and health care power of attorneys.  

Participants in the health and fitness fair had an opportunity to win numerous prizes provided by several area businesses. Master of ceremonies, Ted Hayes, 3WC radio announcer, read the winning raffle tickets throughout the event.

Prizes included Be Active Appalachian, pedometers for adults, hackey sacks for students; Curves, one month membership; YMCA, one month membership; Tranquillity Falls Day Spa & Salon, spa packages; Cooks, exercise ball, small toning ball, two palates workout kits; Apple City Fitness, one, two and three-month memberships, one each; Myers Tire Service Inc., oil filter and lube change; Foothills Auto Spa, free No. 3 car wash and a free man­ager’s special; State Employees’ Credit Union, stadium blanket; Embroider America, West Wilkes Middle School caps, duffel bag; Army National Guard, caps and T-shirts; York Oil Company, 10 cases of water; Wilkes Regional Medical Center, free mam­mogram, free Wellness Center membership, WRMC umbrella, WRMC bag; Java Hills, $10 gift certificate, Lowes Foods, two $10 gift certificates; Arlene & Friends, free haircuts, free manicure; Star Video, $10 gift certificate; Millers Creek Car Wash, two $25 gift certifi­cates; Randy’s Produce, free fruit basket; Wal-Mart, $20 gift card; American Red Cross, cookbook; West Wilkes Middle School, 19-inch TV; and TYH Water Co., four cases of water.

Business sponsors for the event were Sinclair, Quality Business Service, Be Active Appalachian, West Wilkes Middle School staff, C&J Gas, Tysons, Kearns Business Solution, York Oil/WIFM and Carolina Photography.

Leading in the Pledge of Allegiance were Austin Whitley from Boy Scout Troop 399, Cole Wright from Boy Scout Troop 336 and Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 1142 members Charles Jolly and Don Coleman. 

Plans are already under way for next year’s health and fitness fair, which is held as a fundraising event for the school and to promote a healthy lifestyle.  HEALTH AND FITNESS information and equipment were available Tuesday night at West Wilkes Middle School during a health and fitness fair. 

OLDEST PARTICIPANT, Bern Moran, 92, walked a mile during a health and fitness fair Tuesday night at West Wilkes Middle School. She is seen with her surrogate grandson, John Altemuller.