Let’s be honest.  For most of us, voluntarily stepping on the scales in front of someone else takes guts!  That’s why it could be said that all of the 25 people who took that step and signed up for our Maintain Don’t Gain program are winners!

Thanks to a grant from the South Central Community Foundation, the Macksville City Library hosted the Maintain Don’t Gain program from Nov.17^th through Jan. 7^th.  The aim of the program was to help participants survive the winter holidays with a goal of not gaining more than two pounds over their starting weight.  Any participant who met that goal was entered in a drawing for one of two $50 Mack-Bucks.

The SCCF grant enabled us to offer this program free of charge, purchase a scale and give everyone a flying disc and bookmark with tips for healthy eating and exercise on them.  The Macksville Recreation Commission generously donated $100 for the prizes. The Stafford County K-State Extension Office helped make flyers and copies of the participants’ Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s ‘Power Packets’ with bits of inspirational advice, tips and recipes to help motivate participants.  Andrea Wood, from the Kingman County K-State Exension office helped by sharing ideas & handouts.  And, Becky Filbert helped coordinate weigh-ins at the school.  Thank you, to all who helped promote this healthy programming!

Responses from this program have been very positive, and we hope to make this an annual event for adults (the scales will be available at the library year round for anyone who wants to use them).  While Maintain Don’t Gain is not a weigh-loss program, we are also pleased to report that the group lost a total of 36.5 pounds over a timespan when many people gain five to ten pounds!

Congrats to Heather S. & Nina S.– our $50 Mack-Bucks winners!!!