We’ve Got a Ways to Go . . .

The other morning I was greeted by an unsettling headline on the front page of my daily paper: “A quarter of Arizonans estimated to be obese” topping a story in which the Director of the State Department of Health Services stated, “Obesity is getting worse and worse every year. It’s astonishing, really.”

For the past year and a half, the majority of my weekly blogs have cited all sorts of statistics pointing out that Americans today are fatter and less active than ever before while offering advice from leading experts on the benefits of physical fitness, proper nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle as a way to get overweight people to mend their ways.

The latest report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 25.5 percent of Arizona’s population are obese, placing the state in the middle of national rankings. Going back to 1995, only 13.3 percent of the State’s population were considered obese. From a national perspective, 72.5 million U.S. adults are obese, and no state has met CDC’s goal of reducing obesity prevalence by 15 percent by 2010.

Fewer than one-third of adults exercise at least three times a week. Two-thirds of Arizonans age 65 and older have reported themselves as obese. We have quoted a U.S. News & World Report article that revealed nearly one-third of our children and adolescents are overweight or obese and either suffering from or at risk of serious chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

We’ve been able to cut down on the incidence of smoking, so now we must be even more aggressive in attacking the Nation’s most serious health problem. There aren’t a lot of easy answers, but understanding the consequences of being overweight or obese should provide the motivation to get us to make better decisions as to what and when we eat and how we lives our lives.

Get Up! Get Active! Get Involved! Get Healthy!

~Wid

"Drake Cedric Widmark"

DC Wid was born on August 10---weighed in at 7pounds 9ounces and was 21"long!
Pa Pa Wid has 3 now and 2 more on the way! Congrats to father Dallas and mother Em!
Cinda and I are so fortunate and are having a great time watching our family grow!

Wid

GCSG Offices To Move to Southwestern College Campus

To say that we are excited about the impending move of our offices to the campus of Southwestern College in Northeast Phoenix would be an understatement.

The College has sponsored our Essay and Art contests, and this past year the top winners in these competitions were awarded scholarships to the College. Now the SWC name will be associated with every Grand Canyon State Games event as our Title Sponsor. GCSG participants will be increasingly drawn to the College’s 35-acre campus at 2625 East Cactus Road, just west of Piestewa Freeway (State Route 51).

Southwestern College was officially founded in 1960, although its beginnings go back to 1917 as a Christian conference center. It moved to its present campus in 1954 where today it remains a growing, regionally-accredited institution offering Bachelor degrees in such disciplines as liberal arts, business administration, secondary education, counseling, religion and music.

One thing that has to happen before we make the actual move is to assist our current landlord at the River Drive Commerce Center in finding a tenant to take over our existing lease. The 4,649 square feet of rentable space at 2120 East 6th Street in Tempe located just off of 101 (and a short distance from the ASU campus) has been our home for the past 10 years, and it has served us well. It has a large open space that can be configured to a tenant’s specifications, with extensive phone and electrical wiring already in place, plus two small enclosed conference areas and a kitchen.

To view a layout of the office, click www.gcsg.org/ads/floorplan.pdf, or call me at (480) 517-9700.
~Wid

"To my dear friends"

Dear Terry, Percy , Brandon, and Carla,

To me the Lori Piestewa National Native American Games is all about those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that those of us who remain may lead a better life!

For the 9th straight year participation has increased. Recap:
Wrestling: 80 participants
Basketball: 996 participants (83 teams)
Baseball: 220 participants (11 teams)
Volleyball: 276 participants (23 teams)
Cross Country: 32 participants
Track: 42 participants
Softball: 480 participants (24 teams)
Grand Total 2,126

Summary:
First of all Wrestling, for a first year event 80 participants is outstanding! I feel this sport will grow and be a strong contingency in the future.
Basketball continues to produce high numbers of athletes. Operationally I feel we do a very good job in our largest sport.
Baseball: My plan is to approach the Arizona Diamondbacks to combine our resources and enhance the sport
Volleyball has leveled off. We need to research our recruiting efforts to increase participation
Track and Field and Cross Country: I thought that making these events “FREE” would be more of a factor. Operationally we need to improve Cross Country significantly and be more diligent in recruiting Track and Field athletes.
Softball dropped slightly this year due to financial reasons for multi divisional teams.

Trust me when I say that I am very conscience of the obligation and the responsibility to maintain the integrity of this important endeavor. It is my heartfelt commitment hoping that Lori would be pleased and that the family posses a deep sense of pride in the ownership of the largest Native American Sports festival of its kind in the country. WE ARE DOING OUR BEST!

With Deep love and respect,
Rainmaker

"One of Our Own"

In 1994 our athlete of the year was Michael Slaughter! Michael was an accomplished track athlete and and an avid bowler!
The difference is that Michael was blind and confined to a wheel chair.For 18 years Michal found a way by bus transportation to our events. He was a loyal participant, always interested in doing his best.
Michael passed away last week from natural causes resulting from a fall.He will be missed.He was truly "One of Our Own!"

Wid

Someone Special

Summer Games Power Player
Every once in a while a fabulous human interest story presents itself. We have one for you. This years Power Player for swimming ! Thirteen-year-old Joe Underwood really learned to swim before his 4th birthday when his first teacher, a specialist in working with the disabled, tossed him in his backyard pool, leg braces, clothes and all. He is now a familiar sight at USA Swimming meets around the Phoenix area as he lines up behind the blocks in his wheelchair. Joe began swimming competitively at age 8 with AZ Disabled Sports, and Joe now holds a dozen national records for junior disability swimming and has begun traveling to US Paralympics meets seeking to represent the US in London in 2012. As a mentor to children with new spinal cord injuries at St Joseph’s Hospital Rehabilitation Center, Joe spreads the message of empowerment that comes from athletics for individuals with disabilities. While he rarely wins races at USA swimming meets, he enjoys the competition and the camaraderie with his team mates and benefits from the training as much as any of them. He hopes to be seen as a role model to other disabled kids, encouraging them to be as active as anyone and find ways to pursue their dreams regardless of their abilities.

"Doug"

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."



Good Bye my Friend,
Wid