The Peninsula Metropolitan Parks District has taken great strides in the past few years to create a local park and open-space system to serve the public.

But with the mind that a park is only as good as the people who use it, PenMet Parks is joining HealthyWage, Inc., in an interactive exercise program, the Pierce County Matchup.

The 12-week program will run from March 16 through June 8 and culminate in The Sound to Narrows 5K/12K run on June 9. The contest challenges five-person teams to lose weight for a top prize of $10,000, with weekly prizes and giveaways offered during the contest.

Torrey Sanbeck, personal trainer for Intrinsic Health and Fitness, will host exercise boot camps at Sehmel Homestead Park and the Gig Harbor Boys & Girls Club.

“I’ll be working with the HealthyWage participants each week,” she said. “I will provide a way to cross that finish line feeling happy and successful. I provide opportunities for people to maintain healthy lifestyles through healthy physical fitness behaviors.”

Sanbeck works with people of all fitness levels, from beginners to professionals.

“It’s a very positive, friendly, safe environment,” she said. “It’s not a military style — anyone can show up and be successful. There are no egos. Anybody can do it.”

Gretchen Hayes, PenMet Parks’ recreation program coordinator, said people can sign up for the program right up until the day it starts.

“It doesn’t have to be a company, it can be any kind of group, like family, friends or neighbors,” she said. “Individuals can sign up, and we’ll match them with a team.”

PenMet Parks already has two teams on board. Other organizations have thrown their hats in the ring, including Pierce County, the City of Tacoma, the City of Puyallup, MultiCare, the Emerald Queen Casino, and the Tacoma, Puyallup and Fife school districts.

“It’s a pretty impressive list of people who have committed to doing this,” said PenMet Parks Executive Director Terry Lee, who is part of the team. “I’m looking to be more physically fit and a little bit thinner.”

Lee said the parks district wants to be instrumental and facilitate a mindset of good public health to complement the parks system.

“We’re moving in the direction of health and nutrition,” Lee said. “We want to be a catalyst in a community that creates an awareness of fitness — a community that thinks there’s a better way to live.”

Lee spoke about the trend of rising health care costs and the toll that poor diet and lifestyle habits have taken on humanity.

“We want to be more proactive in addressing childhood obesity,” he said. “People are looking for ways to attack Type II diabetes. It’s all about making people aware that the next generation is not expected to live as long as ours.”

PenMet Parks commissioner Todd Iverson said he and fellow commissioner Scott Junge picked up some great ideas at conventions through the National Recreation and Park Association. PenMet Parks hopes to incorporate more fitness components into the parks system, and a good place to start would be at the Boundless Playground at Sehmel Homestead Park, he said.

“They (NRPA) have equipment, like stationary bikes, that can be placed in parks,” Iverson said. “We could put in recreation equipment so parents can use them while the kids are on the playground. They can work on a treadmill or bike instead of sitting at a picnic table, eating doughnuts.”

Lee said with the miles of trail systems that the peninsula offers, PenMet Parks could improve those systems with a course to include equipment like chin-up bars to enhance the trail experience.

“We’ll continue to improve on this so parents can create a great model for their children,” he said. “When they see their parents (living healthy), they make good choices as well. It’s an investment in our future to create healthier lifestyles for our children.”

For more information or to register for the program, visit http://www.piercecountymatchup.com.

Lifestyles Coordinator and reporter Susan Schell can be reached at 253-853-9240 or by email at susan.schell@gateline.com.

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PenMet Parks joins challenge to be healthy