La Feria News

La Feria Residents Accept “The Challenge”

Local residents line up for registration to participate in a new heath program entitled The Challenge. Photo: Tony Vindell/LFN

by Tony Vindell/LFN

Instead of being couch potatoes this New Year, dozens of La Feria residents have enrolled in a program designed to help them enjoy their life in a different way.

It’s called The Challenge.

The program got started 10 years ago in Brownsville by the University of Texas School of Public Health with the intent to motivate people to live a healthier lifestyle.

However, the City of La Feria has joined the program thanks to the contribution of Evelia Duran, the city’s community health worker.

On Monday, Jan. 14, a registration and weigh-in took place at a dome next to Our Lady of the Lake University RGV Campus located here.

La Feria is participating under the motto “Tu Salud Si Cuenta”, or “Your Health Matters”.

Duran said people want to live a healthier life these days.

Elizabeth Ochoa, right, weighs in as one of the many participants. Photo: Tony Vindell/LFN

“That is what we have been hearing,” she said as a line of people formed during registration.

“So we are encouraging the community to follow this pattern.”

After signing in, each person was told to go to another section where staffers recorded their height, weight, took their blood pressure and waist size and were told how many pounds they are expected to lose.

The final weigh-in will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday, April 5 at the Central Library in Brownsville.

The winners of The Challenge will be announced the next day, or Saturday April 6.

But the winners in each of four categories – small and large groups and individual and male and female will be based on percentage of weight lost, not pounds.

Juanita Gonzalez and Elizabeth Ochoa were among the local residents who registered in The Challenge.
They both said they want to lose weight and enjoy a healthier life.

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