FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 24, 2008
MEDIA CONTACT: Gina Kazimir, PR Right
Now, 410-420-8679, gkazimir@prrightnow.com The
Journey Ends with a donation of nearly $10,000 to local charities and almost FOUR
HUNDRED POUNDS lost! (Forest
Hill, MD) - They've sweated. They've endured sore muscles and learned to put aside
self-defeat. They've changed how they eat. They are the nine participants in The
Journey, a charity fitness challenge sponsored by Body Styles by Mel in Forest
Hill. And
now that The Journey challenge has ended, they've lost the equivalent of three
whole people - 397 pounds in total - and have gained their health. And while they've
gotten healthier, they've helped the community as whole, too, raising nearly $10,000
from sponsors to benefit seven area charities. It's all part of Body Styles by
Melšs focus on community wellness. "The
Journey was a chance for us to change lives, not just for the people who were
part of the challenge but for the whole community," explains Mel Royster,
the founder of Body Styles by Mel personal fitness center and, along with his
wife, Kim, the force behind The Journey. "Local businesses donated goods and services
to the challenge, and gave nearly $10,000 to be distributed to seven charities
to celebrate this success." Chosen
from 25 applicants, The Journey participants range in age from 21 to 43.
Their weights ranged from the 200s to well over 400 pounds when they started.
Eight personal trainers and four group fitness trainers gave their time and effort
to help them change their lives over the course of twelve weeks with personal
training sessions, nutritional counseling, group fitness and more. For twelve
weeks they worked, and the results were amazing. "The
Journey was tough," says participant Kevin Cole. "It was hard to completely
change the way my life works and throw out everything I thought I knew about fitness
and nutrition. I was amazed at what I can do now versus all that I couldn't do
when we started. Things that used to get me winded are now just a start. Moves
that I used to think were impossible are now just difficult. I
worked very hard through this difficult program and ended up a new man that has
the knowledge and determination to follow through on my goals and change my life.
I owe all of that to Body Styles by Mel and The Journey program." Kevin lost more
than 51 pounds. Fellow
participant Craig Reddish agrees. "The Journey is just the beginning of
living a healthier life. My trainer, Bill Ackerman, has been a great role model
and an inspiration with his upbeat attitude and his willingness to help all the
contestants in The Journey. I was amazed to see how hard everyone worked and how
supportive we all were to each other. I need to take more time for myself and
my health. That is what I will take with me." Craig
lost over 52 pounds. But as impressive as that is, Michael Kutcher's journey may
be the one that resonates the most - he lost 60 pounds and was able to stop taking
insulin for his diabetes for the first time in 15 years. The
Journey didn't just change the participants; the trainers came away from the
experience with new realizations, too. "For
me, it's been a humbling experience," says trainer Erin Brant. "I asked myself
many times, 'Would I be on that treadmill 2 hours every day? And work? And cook
all my meals? And report to a trainer 3 times a week?' The thought made me step
back and really begin to admire, whole-heartedly, what each of those Journey participants
were undertaking. My eyes were opened to pieces of what it's like being a person
restricted by weight, and I quickly learned that size may or, in this case, may
not determine physical abilities in other areas. This was an amazing trip." The
charities benefiting from The Journey are: Anna's House, The ARC Northern Chesapeake
Region, Boys and Girls Clubs of Harford County, Harford Habitat for Humanity,
The Salvation Army of Harford County, SARC - Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource
Center Inc, and RERSI - Royal Equine Rescue and Sanctuary Inc. Each received a
check for $1428 thanks to The Journey's sponsors.
To learn more about The Journey or to become a sponsor, call Mel Royster or Debbie
Limpert at Body Styles By Mel at 410-838-1444, or visit: www.bodystylesbymel.com/journey1.html
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