Muskegon Family Care, a local community health center, offered a chance to get healthy this New Year. It is always a time for resolutions. Why not resolve to be healthy and learn effective self-management skills? For all active patients, the clinic offered a chance to sign up to “Walk across Lake Michigan”. The idea was to take as many steps as it would take to walk across the lake, which is measured by pedometers that were passed out for free. Those who signed up for the contest became part of the AIM to Change program initiated by the American Academy of Family Physicians, made a health-related resolution, and signed up for walk received a chance to win a voucher for a FREE night at a local hotel and a dinner gift certificate. Those involved will had 30 days to complete 236,000 steps in order to walk 118 miles “across Lake Michigan”, which is about 7,866 steps per day. 

            Events surrounding the contest involved healthy weight week, which was January 21^st – 25^th. During the week, an educational session was offered January 22 at 2201 S. Getty from 12-1pm and January 23 at 1700 Oak Ave. from 12-1pm. Also, a smoking cessation class was offered on Friday, January 25 at 2201 S. Getty at 3:30pm. There were a few people who felt up for the challenge and entered the drawing to be held at the end of February.  About a dozen made it in for the educational sessions to learn about health and wellness.