Miles for Wellness Challenge 20
Miles for Wellness Challenge 20: The Moonlight Trail, began Sept. 23 and highlighted an eight-week physical activity celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon mission. Participants were able to virtually visit museums and exhibits that explored the history of space travel.
Participating teams began their virtual journey in North Carolina at the Museum of Life and Science Aerospace exhibit, traveling across the U.S. to virtually visit NASA facilities, a museum dedicated to Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, and more. Participants virtually returned to North Carolina, to finish this adventure at the North Carolina Museum of History's exhibit "The One Giant Leap: North Carolina and the Space Race."
Cumulatively, state employees walked, hiked, cycled, danced, etc. to accumulate 2,242,038,000 steps or 1,121,019 miles. That is the equivalent of 45 times around the earth and slightly over 2 round trips to the moon and back!
Bionic Hare
1st Place: Walking Warriors
O’Berry Neuro Medical Treatment Center; NC Dept. of Health and Human Services, Goldsboro, NC
Front row left to right: Squatting – Medical Director and Interim Center Director Dr. Michael Bunch, Susan Bryant, Kimberly Stallings, Yashanda Jones, Team Captain Julie Hall, Anne Smith, and Debi Artis. Back row left to right: State Wellness Coordinator Katherine Hilliard, Alan Cuddington, Nick Harris, Kenny McNeese, Team High Stepper Dennis Liles.
2nd Place: Quads of Fury
University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC
Front row left to right: Arianna Covington, Team Captain Nick Gawlik, George Sills, Thomas Long, and Phil Perry.
Back row left to right: Debby Pyatt, Team High Stepper Natasha Romeo, and State Wellness Coordinator
Katherine Hilliard. Not pictured: Mark Perlin, MaKayla Seifert, and Jacob Williams.
3rd Place: Lunartics
Division of Workforce Solutions, Alamance Center; NC Dept. of Commerce, Burlington, NC
Left to right: Amber Currie, Shelly Karas, Team Captain AJ Glass, Team High Stepper Richard Wright,
Lisa Arnette, Maribeth Ross, and State Wellness Coordinator Katherine Hilliard.
Not pictured: Senika Rush, David Monteleone, Teresa Boone, and Ikel Williams
Super Hare
1st Place: BTRM+Plus
Division of Health Benefits; NC Dept. of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, NC
Left to right: Gina Rutherford, Kristin Troutt, Team High Stepper Sam McLean, Team Captain Jackie Holloway,
Vicki Crowder, Dionne Toney, Subhapratha Sridharan, Stephanie Nmashie and Sonya Harris.
Not pictured: Jesse Holloway
2nd Place: Mountain Fit
Division of Highways Division 14, District 3; NC Dept. of Transportation, Sylva, NC
Front row L-R: Team Captain Sarah Holland and Division 14 Engineer Brian Burch.
Back row L-R: Team High Stepper Brad Pyle, Wanda Austin, John Holland, Roger Ayers, Will Murajda, and Ted Adams.
Not pictured: Jeremy Bailey, Karen Duckett, and Michele Noel-LaQuatra
3rd Place: FPG Trail Blazers
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center; UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
From left to right: State Wellness Coordinator Katherine Hilliard, Amelia Krysinski, Heather Walker, Team Captain
Gwen Van Ark, Margaret Swingler, Judy Owen and Frank Porter Graham Child Development Director Aysenil Belger.
Not pictured: Team High Stepper Teresa Taylor, Ciani Bush-Johnson, Mary Bratsch-Hines, Carol Perry, and Alyssa Cataldi.
Hare
1st Place: Red Hot Chili Steppers
Division of Collections; NC Dept. of Revenue, Hickory, NC
Front row L-R: Suzanne Miller, Team Captain Tina Yang, Team High Stepper Yang Lee, and Clarissa Sosa.
Back row L-R: Tommy Thomas, Kevin Dillard, Darin Smith, and David Phillips.
Not pictured: Michael Dement, Melissa Fulbright, and Jessica Lowe.
2nd Place: Mighty Morphin Moonlighters
NC Dept. of Environmental Quality, Raleigh, NC
From left: Zaynab Nasif, Jenne Walker, Christy Simmons, Katherine O’Neal, Lauren Garcia,
Christine Twining, Alaina Morman, and Team Captain Laura Alexander.
Not pictured: Team High Stepper Erica Langdon and Tonya Godwin
3rd Place: Sentenced to Fitness
NC Administrative Office of the Courts, Raleigh, NC
Left to right: Shelley Kirk, Tamara Flinchum, Ginny Hevener, Michelle Hall holding the Hare Mascot, John King, Team Captain Rebecca Dial, Meghan Boyd Ward, Becky Whitaker, and Jennifer Lutz. Seated: Team Inspiration Quay
Not pictured: Team High Stepper Judge Charlie Brown
Tortoise
1st Place: Elite Eagles 1
Bladen Community College, Dublin, NC
Front row left to right: Carlton Bryan, Lee Anne Bryan, Team Captain Robin Novak, and Susan Long.
Back row left to right: State Wellness Coordinator Katherine Hilliard, Marcia deAndrade, Betty Conner, Samantha Pope, Allison Strickland, HR Director Tiina Mundy, and Bladen Community College President Dr. Amanda Lee.
Not pictured: Clint Spivey and Jean Butler
2nd Place: Take TWO
Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC
3rd Place: L & T Foot Pumpers
Division of Motor Vehicles; NC Dept. Of Transportation, Raleigh, NC
Left to right: Bridgett Smith, Melissa Morris, Team Captain and Team High Stepper Debbie Bryant,
Ricky Buchanan, Steve Saucier, and Division of Motor Vehicles Director Eric L. Copeland.