FORT SILL, Okla. -- Shellie Pfohl, the executive director of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition came to Fort Sill to participate in the CG's Challenge Run for the Fallen Nov. 3 and get a close-up look at what makes the partnerships in Southwest Oklahoma work so well.
She and Maj. Gen. David Halverson, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general, lad thousands in the semi-annual fitness event. Pfohl decided Lawton Fort Sill's partnerships and the run/walk will be the model for the nation on getting communities active combating childhood obesity.
"The CG's Challenge is such an exemplary program to get the whole community involved," said Pfohl. "It's not just one day, it's multiple days, all year round in terms of kids and adults tracking their steps, miles and physical activity. I've enjoyed being here and seeing all this beautiful community has to offer."
Pfohl said it's important for the kids to be at the CG Challenge so they can see their role models - the adults, whether it's military personnel or the adults in their lives.
"I think it's also important for the adults in the community to see and acknowledge the importance of exercise and make sure we're giving time for kids to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day," she said.
Fitness has become a matter of importance largely because of the obesity epidemic where one out of three kids and two out of three adults are either overweight or obese. "We're trending in the wrong direction so we have got to take a really strong look at all of the opportunities we have for people to be more active and eat more nutritiously so we can really turn our obesity epidemic around," she said.
"Obesity is definitely driving up health care costs. We're seeing that it also leads to diabetes, heart disease and the like. It has become of national interest because of how it weighs literally on our economy," said Pfohl.
Fort Sill is the first installation Pfohl has visited but she hopes to travel to other installations in the future. She came to Fort Sill to see what she called the "history-making" partnerships that set it apart from the rest and links to the President's Fitness Council.
"I think the bar has been set high in terms of not only what happens on this post but in how it engages the entire community. The philosophy from the general to the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation staff flows throughout this installation -- the importance of engaging the community," she said.
"If 82 percent of the servicemen and women and their families live off post, you have to look at it as a full community and that's what they're doing. Whether it's the child care centers, the after school programs, the kids and adults are all important and they get it," she said.
Pfohl said she plans to pass on the things learned here at Fort Sill. "I think the message is that the leadership is important, and the leadership has to embrace the fact that it's all about community," she said. "It's all about creating resilient families and taking care of the whole family, understanding their needs and barriers, and how all of us can come together to support them."
Pfohl, who has traveled over a large segment of the country, said Lawton and Fort Sill are headed in the right direction. "I see a coalition of people, like those assembled here, who have come together to say, 'not our kids -- they will not be the ones getting sick, because they were not active enough, didn't have enough to eat or were overweight.' Lawton has come together and coalesced; they have people from every aspect of society including the hospital, the health department, the schools, recreation and, of course, Fort Sill coming together and embracing this community, saying we are going to do it right.' I want to hold up Lawton and Fort Sill as a model for the rest of our country," said Pfohl.
The intent of the President's Council is to get people out doing whatever it is that is fun, accessible and pleasurable. "No one is going to stick with something if they don't enjoy doing it," she added.
"Lawton and Fort Sill offer such diversity in terms of the many opportunities to get out and get active and that makes a big difference," said Pfohl. "Everyone should concentrate on their nutrition as well. Ask for the healthy choices when you're out at a restaurant and buy the fresh fruit and vegetables at the grocery store."
Before Halverson fired the cannon to start the run/walk, he spoke to the crowd and asked them to pause for a moment of silence to remember those Soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice. "To date, 6,299 members of our armed forces have given their lives during operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. Today, the Lawton-Fort Sill community will pause from our day-to-day lives in remembrance of those who have fallen," he said.
The walkers passed through a corridor of 277 American flags symbolizing the Oklahomans who have died since the War on Terror began.
Halverson went on to say the CG's Challenge is a continuing commitment to the Lawton-Fort Sill community and the surrounding area of Southwest Oklahoma for health and fitness. "Since its inception in November 2008, civilians, Soldiers, schools throughout the community and other organizations in Southwest Oklahoma have walked or ran in excess of 8 million miles.
The Fit Kids Coalition partnership is one of many formed through the Army Community Covenant to benefit Fort Sill and its neighbors in the Southwest Oklahoma community. The covenant outlines how military installations and their surrounding communities can embrace existing partnerships and work together to forge new ones to expand the services, programs and facilities available to the community.
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