Healthy U of Delmarva holds annual awards ceremony

Healthy U of Delmarva's annual award celebration was Friday at the Delmarva Shorebirds' Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The evening was filled with great fun and great people. Healthy U awarded six $1,000 checks to those participants who successfully made an impact with daily health behavior changes.

The Most Outstanding Winner was Salisbury Middle School, which not only got its teachers and administrators involved in healthy living, but encouraged the parents and children to eat better and exercise more. Salisbury Middle promotes healthy living throughout the curriculum, as well as creative programming the entire school year for all to enjoy.

Just some of Salisbury Middle's successful programs were free yoga classes and strength training classes provided weekly after school for teachers and administrators, and a fun and competitive golf tournament. In addition, Salisbury Middle created a permanent attendance policy to reinforce perfect attendance and offered a $25 gift certificate as a monthly incentive to teachers.

Beverly Elzey, the Healthy U coordinator for Salisbury Middle, remarked how close the faculty and staff have become due to the activities of Healthy U over the past five years. "Salisbury Middle has distinguished itself as being a Healthy U pioneer among Wicomico County Schools. Many staff members are Healthy U advocates as a result of their personal health related accomplishments," Elzey said.

Healthy U awarded Eastern Correctional Institution as the corporation category winner. It has proven that wellness programs are effective at the worksite by offering creative and fun events along with healthy incentives. ECI has more than 70 employees actively enrolled as Healthy U members.

Shore Up! was honored the winner of the small business category as they have established healthy lifestyle changes at work by building a fitness area for their employees to use on a regular basis. Shore Up! encourages their employees to weigh in weekly as Healthy U members. This has created an internal support group to eat more fruits and vegetables, and be physically active.

For the House of Worship category, St. Stephens United Methodist Church of Delmar was awarded as the winner. This church has successfully incorporated an exercise program among its congregation by Walking Across America.

Peggy Moore, Healthy U coordinator for St. Stephens, has recorded a total distance of 115,875 miles and creatively photographed walkers for monthly display boards since the program began in February 2006. The walking program takes individuals on a virtual tour from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean by tracking local steps -- a fun and competitive way to promote exercise.

Parkside High School was awarded the winner in the school category as it did an excellent job in getting the teachers and students involved in healthy living.

Each school day, they created and promoted a Healthy U fact for all to view. A softball homerun derby along with other physical activities contributed to the positive school environment for living a healthy lifestyle.

Second place Healthy U Award Winners of each category were Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Delmarva Surgery Center, Trinity United Methodist and James M. Bennett High. Congratulations to all Healthy U participants, and keep up the hard work!

Healthy U was thrilled to honor Marcia Chrysostome as the individual winner. She has created and maintained a healthy lifestyle for herself as well as her four children by exercising and eating right. Chrysostome consistently walks five days a week for 30 minutes which continues to contribute to her weight-loss success. She has, also changed from fast food and convenience eating to packing a healthy lunch four days out of the work week.

Healthy U of Delmarva continues to take a community approach to improve life through diet and exercise, while encouragingits members to make daily changes in their behavior to help live a longer, healthier life.

Contact Healthy U to start your journey today -- call 410-742-9202. The greatest reward is a healthier and happier U.

Reprinted courtesy of  The Daily Times.