Get Active Allamakee Wellness Coalition set to kick off Live Healthy Iowa 10-Week Challenge

Following an inaugural event that saw Allamakee County reign as Community Cup Challenge winners last year, Live Healthy Iowa will be conducting its second annual Wellness Challenge event this year. The Live Healthy Iowa 10-Week Challenge is scheduled to begin January 28 and run through April 5 this spring, with a variety of events planned in the next several months to help Allamakee County residents not only rise above all other entities competing in the Challenge again this year but also to exceed last year’s participation percentage that helped Allamakee County reach that Community Cup championship honor last year.
The first-ever Community Cup Challenge held last year in conjunction with Live Healthy Iowa’s 100-Day Wellness Challenge spurred the formation of the local Get Active Allamakee Wellness Coalition and a goal of 10% of the county’s population participating in the challenge. The efforts of the Coalition and area individuals, groups and businesses resulted in a 12.8% participation level, with this year’s goal being set at a 15% participation level.
In order to achieve that participation goal, a number of events have been organized throughout Allamakee County to encourage participation and provide incentive for as many Allamakee County residents as possible to not just take part in the Challenge but also improve their own health and well-being. It is hoped to have many of the following events coordinated for the same day in multiple locations so residents can take part within their nearest community.
Among those planned events are a couple early events to help kick off this year’s Challenge. A Mini Screening and Late Sign-Up event will be held Wednesday, January 30 at the Waukon Wellness Center (WWC) from 4-7 p.m. (see the shaded box accompanying this article for further details). Anyone from throughout the county may participate in the screening and late sign-up event.
A Kick-Off 5K Walk/Run is being planned in as many willing Allamakee County communities as possible for Saturday, February 2, beginning at 9 a.m. More details on that kick-off event will be presented when they become available.
Another multi-community event to help maintain Wellness Challenge progress and enthusiasm is scheduled for March 2. A Winter Sports Family Fun Day is being planned for that day and will include snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sledding and more, with further details to be made available at a later date.
A final Wrap-Up 5K Walk/Run is also being planned for April 6 to bring this year’s Wellness Challenge to a close and celebrate the health improvements gained by this year’s participants. Further details of that celebratory event will be made available closer to its actual date.
The Waukon Wellness Center will also be hosting a “Couch-to-5K” training program at some point during the upcoming weeks. That program will be for anyone interested in learning how to train and run a 5K race. Further details about that event will also be made available as they are finalized.

REGISTRATION
Anyone interested in taking part in this year’s Wellness Challenge can register through the online registration process at www.livehealthyiowa.com. Teams can also register online, and all participants can keep track of either minutes of physical activity or weight loss, or both. Those needing further information about the Challenge or its registration process may also contact Get Active Allamakee Wellness Coalition co-leaders Stefanie Perkins or Dani Bucknell. Registrations are already being accepted and can take advantage of a $5 discount coupon from HyVee.