Members of the Ladysmith No. 2510 Chapter of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) celebrated their successes during a recent Rally Day in Duncan.
Twenty-three TOPS chapters belonging to Area BC No. 3 came together for this event, where TOPS members were honoured and received awards. The day was co-ordinated by area co-ordinator Dianne Connerly and area captain Eileen Curtis.
Three Ladysmith TOPS members were recognized for their achievements.
MaryAnn Fleming, the Ladysmith TOPS leader, was declared Area BC No. 3’s Inspirational Winner. Area and rally co-ordinator Dianne Connerly presented Fleming with an honorary certificate and an impressive TOPS paperweight.
“With a renewed sense of purpose to improve her health, MaryAnn has lost a total of 104 pounds, 80 of them at TOPS,” Ladysmith TOPS crier Mary-Anne Masyk said in a press release. “She weighed in at 230 pounds when she joined our TOPS Chapter Jan. 11, 2011. With discipline and determination, she has now dropped down to 150 pounds, a major feat for anyone. She has accomplished so much and has truly inspired us all.”
At the chapter level, TOPS No. 2510 nominated Mary Ann Fleming as its Chapter KOPS of the Year, the chapter’s most highly recognized KOP, as Masyk describes it, “one who has reached her TOPS goal weight and one who has been elevated to a KOPS status where one must now Keep Off Pounds Sensibly.”
“She has been doing a remarkable job so far as a KOPS member,” Masyk said of Fleming.
At the area level, Sandy Virtanen, TOPS No. 2510 past leader and current weight recorder, was chosen from 23 nominees as the 2014 Rally TOPS of the Year, selected by a distinguished area committee for being the TOPS member in Area BC No. 3 who was most instrumental in helping her chapter come together, stay together and work together.
“This annual award is an honour for both Sandy Virtanen and for our TOPS Chapter,” said Masyk.
Last but not least, the Ladysmith Chapter recently welcomed MaryAnne Hegglund, the current chapter treasurer and newest “happening” member.
“She received an award at Rally for being the Best Chapter Winner, with a loss of 25 pounds, a major accomplishment for the short time that she has been following the TOPS weight loss program,” said Masyk. “She is a member with a desire and a mission to succeed. She is making it happen.”
Masyk and Chapter No. 2510 congratulate Fleming, Hegglund and Virtanen for their well-deserved awards.
“There is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment and then of being rewarded,” said Masyk. “It completes the experience for these three TOPS members.”
Along with member recognition, Ladysmith Chapter No. 2510 also received chapter recognition at the 2014 Rally.
TOPS Chapter No. 2510 was the chapter with the largest average weight loss in Area BC No. 3, a loss of 7.9 pounds per member. Twenty-three TOPS chapters in Area No. 3 were competing to see who could lose the most weight between Jan. 1 and Sept. 12, 2014.
The Ladysmith chapter has also won the co-ordinator’s summer contest, with an average loss per member of 0.75 pounds. The contest ran from June 23 to Aug. 29, and all TOPS members’ gains and losses were calculated over a period of time to determine the chapter winner.
Anyone interested in finding out more about TOPS Ladysmith is welcome to sit in on any of the chapter’s meetings to see and hear what the program is all about. TOPS meets every Thursday evening at the Ladysmith Community Health Centre. Weigh-in is from 4:45-5:45 p.m., followed by the meeting.
The chapter welcomes all new members, and Masyk jokes that your name doesn’t have to be Mary Ann to join.
“TOPS No. 2510 Ladysmith is a place for safe and sensible weight loss matched with support and accountability,” said Masyk.
