By Michael WachtBOKEELIA — The members of Pine Island
United Methodist Church here are losing weight by making food a high priority in their
lives. But the food is not for them. It’s for the ecumenical Pine Island food pantry,
which helps some of the neediest people on the island, located off the west coast of
Florida near Fort Myers.
The 10-week program, called “Pounds for Poverty,” has a
dual purpose, according to the Rev. Dr. Scott Harris, the church’s pastor. “We
want to encourage a healthy lifestyle among our people, as well as continue our commitment
as a congregation to assist those in need in our community,” he said. “There is
a spiritual side, as well as a physical side. The body is the temple of God, and God wants
us to take care of it.”
Members are challenging themselves and each other to lose weight.
More than 80 have squared off, men against women, to see which side will lose more weight
between July 1 and Aug. 26.
The big winner in the contest is the local food pantry, Harris said.
Nearly half the residents of Pine Island are winter visitors from other parts of the
country, so support for the food pantry drops sharply during the summer months.
Members are collecting pledges based on the total number of pounds
lost by both teams. All money raised will go directly to the food pantry, which is located
in Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church and run by a group called
FISH—Fellow Islanders Sharing Help.
Publicity generated by the contest has raised awareness about the
food pantry in the community, and a local newspaper is publishing weekly updates on the
church’s weight loss.
“I’ve also noticed a sizable increase in the amount of
canned goods that the church has received for the pantry,” Harris said.
Donations will be used to help migrant workers, fishing families and
others on Pine Island who need assistance. “There’s a wide range of
socioeconomic conditions on the island, so there’s always a need for this food pantry
to be up and viable,” he said.
Harris is leading the men’s team and has already lost more than
20 pounds, with a goal to lose 20 more before the challenge is over. His wife, Peggy, is
leading the women’s team, called “The Winnin’ Wimmen.” Although they
are in competition, the Harrises are also cooperating—they attend the same Weight
Watchers group.
What other people have lost so far is strictly confidential, Harris
said. Only the nurses who weigh the members each week know how much each team has lost. A
local doctor is making sure church members lose the weight properly. “We’re not
offering any nutritional advice,” Harris said. “I’ve told everyone to see
their doctor to make sure they follow a program that’s right for them.”
Harris said great care has been taken to make sure the contest is
fair. The women outnumber the men by a ratio of almost 3-to-1, and several people had read
that men lose weight faster than women. The winner will be the team that loses the largest
percent of its total weight.
“We will probably do it based on the people who actually lose
weight,” Harris said, adding one member of his team confessed to gaining seven pounds
on vacation.
Harris has noticed a difference in the way the women and men are
approaching the contest. The women are taking walks and exercising together, while the men
are “nonchalanting their way through,” he said.
To motivate his team to get some exercise, Harris asked an aerobics
instructor who teaches classes at the church to teach a class for the men. The teacher
played gender-appropriate music, including “It’s Raining Men” and
“Macho Man.” Women were invited to watch the class, but at the cost of a
donation to the food pantry.
The prize for the winning team is a dinner prepared by the losing
team. Harris said the men are already planning a barbecue dinner and pig roast for Aug.
26. “The men are conceding to the women,” he said.
“It’s a fun way to spend the summer, but also
healthful,” Harris said. “I hope everyone maintains a healthy lifestyle after
it’s over.”
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