Teachers and faculty at Portland Adventist Academy participated in a friendly competition resulting in a weight loss of 115 pounds by 24 staff members over a ten-week period.
The "Move It or Lose It" challenge was created by religion department teachers Stephen Lundquist, Greg Phillips and Les Zollbrecht. They hoped to inspire coworkers to get more activity, lose extra pounds and build friendships through teamwork.
The challenge was accepted and taken quite seriously. Several mornings Tim Erich, Social Studies department chair, rode his bike over 20 miles to school. Others climbed mountains, kayaked, hiked and jogged.
"One of the greatest things about it was that it built camaraderie," says Phillips who lost 12 pounds. "It gave us something else to talk about besides the stresses of school."
Heidi Woodworth, Development and Alumni director and a member of the winning team, lost 18 pounds and loved the challenge. "It's a lot easier to be motivated when it becomes a friendly competition and you have a team supporting you."
"Jocks for Jesus Team" from left: Les Zollbrecht, Stephen Lundquist and Greg Phillips ride bikes to school daily during the "Move It or Lose It" challenge.
