The Citizen, 2013-08-01, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2013.Local women tops at provincial weight loss conference
Brooks offers concert
In a Time Tunnel
The Fresh Wind Revival Centre held its annual Vacation
Bible School last week just south of Wingham. The Time
Tunnel 2 Bethlehem program was well attended, according
to Rev. Timothy Bjorkman. One of the week’s activities was
creating one-of-a-kind tie-dye shirts. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Two local women were recently
recognized for extraordinary feats of
weight loss at a TOPS (Take Off
Pounds Sensibly) provincial
conference in Belleville.
Elly Dow of East Wawanosh and
Barbara Hallman of RR5, Wingham
were recognized as provincial
champions in their respective
categories, highlighting tremendous
weight loss that has come as a result
of a lot of hard work and dedication.
The TOPS organization has
chapters throughout North America.
The local chapter, which meets on
Thursdays in Wingham, has just
over 30 members.
The group’s mandate revolves
around an ideal weight, decided
upon by members and their doctors,
which is then set as that member’s
goal weight. There are weekly
weigh-ins to chart progress and once
the goal weight is achieved,maintenance of that weight.Local chapter leader Bonnie Mairsays that once a member achieves
their goal weight, they are promoted
to a KOPS whose goal now becomes
to (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly). The
local chapter has four KOPS
members.
Recently honoured at the
organization’s provincial conference
in Belleville was Dow, who, despite
having only joined in April, 2012,
has lost 70 pounds. She placed first
in the province in division three for
2012.
Dow says her involvement with
TOPS started with a new year’s
resolution to eat better food, and
hopefully lose weight. After cutting
out processed and packaged foods,
she found the TOPS support group
through a neighbour and quickly felt
at home.
Dow has yet to achieve her goal
weight, however, and says that the
closer you get to that weight, the
more difficult a journey it becomes.
She has a great group of friends and
support network in the local TOPS
group and she’s confident she can
get to her goal weight.
Hallman, like Dow, has also not
reached her goal weight yet, but she
was also recognized in Belleville for
nearly 75 pounds of weight loss,
landing her first place in the
province’s division two for 2012.
Hallman was diagnosed with
COPD (chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease) in 2010 and she
said she needed to change her life
drastically if she wanted a long andfull life.“I had to quit smoking, the wholenine yards. If I didn’t change, I
wouldn’t see my grandchildren grow
up,” she said.
She began exercising through the
Aquafit program and joined TOPS
for further support.
Through the TOPS program,
Hallman has lost 72 pounds, but
since turning her life around she has
lost nearly 120 pounds.
What keeps her coming back is
having to face the scales every week.
That accountability, she says, as well
as the camaraderie among the
members is what reminds her every
week why she lost all the weight in
the first place.
Jane Wilson of Wingham was also
recently honoured by the local
chapter of the group as its most
recent KOPS member.
Wilson joined two years ago and
aimed to lose nearly 40 pounds,
which she achieved earlier this year.
She called the group “very
friendly” and “very welcoming”
which is why she knew it was the
right group for her.
For more information on the
TOPS group, visit its website at
www.tops.org
Continued from page 9
sobriety. Everything came to a
crashing halt in 1986 when he was
admitted to the Donwood Institute
very near death.
Danny left Donwood sober and
with the start of a belief in the power
of faith that has helped to see him
through hard times and grow into the
steadfast understanding of the power
of Christ’s love that now animates
his life and music. His past history
and his belief in redemption through
Christ gave him a desire to help
others and he speaks and plays at
prisons and rehab facilities
whenever he can. Danny believes
that his story proves that anyone can
be saved, and the last few years of
his life have proven him right.
Since his return to sobriety and
faith, Danny has released 10 albums
ranging from 1990’s After the Storm,
to his 2012 release, Texassippi Soul
Man.Along the way he performed
"Forbidden Fruit" on Garth
Hudson’s Canadian Celebration of
The Band and received 11
nominations for the Maple Blues
Awards, two Juno nominations and
the 2007 Shai Award for Best
Jazz/Blues Album Of The Year. He
has received the Blue Note Award in
the USA for Best Song “Other Side
Of The Cloud” and The Real Blues
Award for Best Gospel Album for
Righteous Live At The Southside
Shuffle. In 2009 the Blues Hall of
Fame named him as a Blues
Ambassador to Ontario.
With his faith at the core of all he
now does, Danny Brook’s music is
part gospel, part country, part blues
and all real.
Dripless Oil Undercoating
• Can extend the life of your vehicle with preventative
rust protection for vehicle body and underbody
• VOC compliant products ensure less
pollutants are released into the atmosphere
providing cleaner air and a healthier environment. All
products applied meet new and lower VOC
regulations 2010.
519-523-9308
2 miles south of Blyth corner of London Rd.
& Hullett McKillop Rd., Central Huron
Have a Break on Us!
Book your August appointment
before the end of July and you will
be entered in a draw to win tickets
for 2 for the Blyth Festival’s
production of Garrison’s Garage
Dripless Oil Undercoat
and Oil, Lube and Filter
Service
Receive a $500 Tim’s Card
Coupon valid August 12-31
Book your service today
Jack Van Dorp
Jack’s Tip
When you apply your dripless oil undercoating
during August and September the moderate
temperatures help improve adherence of product.
Jack Van Dorp is a red seal certified technician
with more than 20 years experience
www.jacksgeneralrepair.ca
39965 Hullett-McKillop Rd.
Central Huron
✂
✂
402 Queen St., Blyth • 519-523-4535
PIANO REPAIRS
Pianovations
Music Centre
Taking it off, keeping it off
Local TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) members, from left: Jane Wilson, Elly Dow, Barbara
Hallman and Bonnie Mair, recently celebrated some important honours at the club, as Dow
and Hallman were both recognized for significant achievements at the club’s provincial level.
(Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Extend the Life of
Your Vehicle