Date:   June 21, 2004 
Contact: Irene Cromer
703-791-8720 

One hundred and forty-four Prince William County School employees participated in the Governor’s Physical Activity Award Program’s challenge to make a commitment to wellness through active and regular participation in physical activity.  Earning the award means that you have invested time and effort to meet the challenge of personal wellness.  To earn a bronze certificate, participants must engage in a physical activity program for 16 to 18 weeks with 30 minutes or more of moderately intense regular activity periods three times per week.  Participants receive a silver certificate if they follow an activity program four times per week, and a gold certificate for five times per week.  Successful school division employees submitted activity logs to the Virginia Department of Education in Richmond on April 15.  

Lila Darby, 43, library secretary at Graham Park Middle School, lost 46 pounds over five months using the Governor’s Physical Fitness Award as the first step in motivating her to lose weight and become physically fit.  Darby says, “Exercise is the tool I now use to lower my stress levels.  I stopped making excuses for not having time to work out each day.”  Darby began arriving 30 minutes early to work to walk inside the school each day.  As she realized results from the exercise and from making good nutritional choices, she gradually challenged herself to try running part of the time.  She now runs 2 miles per day.  Darby attributed the achievement of many of her goals, including being a positive role model for her children, to the support of other Graham Park Middle School walkers.  Darby says, “I feel GREAT!”