TOPS or Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a non-profit organization that is active in the lakecity helping people to achieve their goals for a healthy weight.
Members educate themselves by going to workshops, having speakers on nutrition, exercise, and following The Choice is Mine book, says club leader Claudette Schafer.
“Through this education we learn to lose pounds sensibly by eating nutritional meals and snacks,” Schafer says.
The Williams Lake B.C. Chapter 1286 meets on Monday evenings in the upstairs meeting room at St. Andrew’s United Church at 1000 Huckvale Place.
Weigh in time is 5:45 p.m. to 7:50 p.m. The meeting time is 7 to 8 p.m. Each member sets their goal weight in consultation with their doctor.
When this goal weight is reached the individual becomes a KOP (Keep off Pounds Sensibly).
Awards are presented to members for achievements and as incentives. Contests, challenges and fundraisers help to keep enthusiasm high.
The lakecity chapter of TOPS currently has 21 members. Over the years members have collectively lost an average of 175 to 200 pounds a year.
In early April the Williams Lake chapter held its annual pot-luck supper, division awards presentations, and election of officers, including crowning the new Chapter Queen.
Between them the six executive members lost a total of 128.50 pounds in 2010.
The new executive includes Chapter Queen June Latin, Cynthia Noble, Cynthia Nygaard, Gwen Dachael, Tracy Mycock, and Cathy Bachmier. This weekend Schafer is heading to the provincial convention in Duncan on Vancouver Island where she will be presented with her five-year award as a KOPS member. This means she has kept her goal weight for five years.
The lakecity TOPS group has five KOPS members who have kept their weight off for one to several years with one member who will have kept her healthy weight goal for 15 years by next year.
For more information about TOPS contact Schafer at 250-398-2093.
