The Coachella Valley Health Collaborative kicked off its 2012 Healthy Lifestyle Challenge at a nutritious breakfast event at Eisenhower Medical Center on January 11. Almost 1,000 Coachella Valley residents have already participated in the collaborative’s previous challenges and more than 1,500 people are expected to participate this year.
Representing their respective towns at the meeting, Indio mayor Glenn Miller and Palm Springs mayor Steve Pougnet, formally challenged each other. “The City of Palm Springs is very excited to be taking part in the Healthy Challenge,” according to Mayor Pougnet. “Palm Springs residents lead a healthy and active lifestyle to begin with, and I thoroughly expect our City to win the challenge!”
It’s a community challenge, not a personal challenge and the mayors are representing their communities. They encourage everyone to get involved, including staff, council, residents, and friends. The mayors are announcing it at council meetings and spreading the word through city agencies.
Indio Mayor Miller adds, “The City of Indio is actively participating in the Healthy Lifestyles Challenge. Specifically, the Indio Senior Center and Teen Center are very involved with several exercise and nutritional activities. Our Teen Center is highlighting its very popular boxing program along with our Youth Advisory Council. Our Senior Center is offering a walking program and other exercise classes as well as healthy eating choices. I’m confident that the residents of Indio are going to embrace the Lifestyles Challenge and that Indio will be the city to beat.”
“Mayors Glenn Miller and Steve Pougnet recognize the importance of health and are taking a lead in the community to role model fitness by participating in the fitness challenge,” said Gary Jeandron, CVHC project director. “They are encouraging their communities to participate in becoming healthier.” The challenge is geared toward local organizations, businesses and residents. The aim is to improve the health of Coachella Valley residents by promoting physical fitness and an overall healthy lifestyle.
The collaborative’s interactive website, which this year is sponsored by Desert Oasis Healthcare, is designed to motivate people to improve their health by becoming more active. The website records an individual’s activity and converts it to steps on interactive maps. Individuals can see their progress and how they match up against others participating in the various challenges.
The program is free and all Coachella Valley residents are encouraged to participate. People can challenge friends and colleagues by walking, running, swimming, hiking, biking and even shopping. It all counts towards the final goal. Challengers can also track their progress online, communicate with other participants online, and receive weekly motivating reminders and health tips.
The Coachella Valley Health Collaborative serves the multiple and diverse communities of the Coachella Valley through education and public advocacy and by acting as a catalyst to improve the health status of all residents and their accessibility to quality, state-of-the-art health care.
To register for the 2012 challenge, visit www.mywellsite.com/cvhc. For more information about the Coachella Valley Health Collaborative, contact Gary Jeandron, Project Director, at (760) 341-2883, ext. 78163 or [email protected] or visit cvhc.csusb.edu.
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