TEXERCISE Media Archive

• Seniors Encouraged to Get Physical
• City of Sugar Land, Texas Shrinking
• National Governor's Association Gives Thumbs-Up to Texercise Campaign

Seniors Encouraged to Get Physical

Former Dallas Cowboy Billy Joe Dupree, DADS Commissioner Addie Horn, Jazzercise partner Jill Beam, and former Dallas Cowboy Tony Hill at the kick-off event for Texercise Dallas.

Texercise Dallas, a healthy lifestyle program, challenges north Texas seniors to become physically fit by offering education, exercise, nutrition, and motivational activities. Texercise Dallas is the third team developed in recent months; the others are in Austin and San Antonio.

"Regular physical activity is essential to living a longer and healthier life and is essential for 'long-term living.' said Addie Horn, DADS commissioner. "To help all of us age well and live healthier lives, our agency created Texercise."

City of Sugar Land, Texas Shrinking

By Nicole Volek, PTA -CC

Sugar Land, Texas, a city known as one of the fastest growing in America for economic growth and development is making plans to SHRINK…its community waist size and rising health care costs, with a three-year wellness program called Shape Up Sugar Land.

In April 2004 Sugar Land was awarded the “Fittest City in Texas” by Governor Rick Perry. Mayor David Wallace has set the city’s goal and vision to attain the 2005 Fittest City Award, but raises the bar higher with a three year plan. His strategic plan seeks to prepare teams from local companies, health care systems, educational institutions, and municipalities to take proactive steps toward improving the health and well-being of their most important assets - employees and their families.

On January 13, 2005, at 10:00 am at First Colony Mall the Mayor will award local seniors from different fitness organizations certificates for completing the Texercise Challenge, a 12-week exercise program. He will also announce plans for Shape Up Sugar Land at this event and how to sign up for the Governor’s Round Up fitness program.

Texercise is a statewide fitness campaign, developed by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services to educate and involve all Texans in physical activity and good nutrition throughout their lifespan. Texercise motto is: “An active healthy lifestyle is a key component to aging well.”

Mayor Wallace’s three year mission is to maximize the health and well being of individuals throughout the City of Sugar Land by developing and delivering results-oriented health promotion programs at the worksite and community events that support the process of positive lifestyle changes. The aging of the baby boom generation is no longer an issue that is out there in the future…It’s here right now!

For more information on Shape Up Sugar Land, please contact: Steve Stewart at 281-313-7979.

National Governor's Association Gives Thumbs-Up to Texercise Campaign

AUSTIN - The Texas Department on Aging and Capital Area Agency on Aging joined with the National Governors Association (NGA) on Oct. 16 to sponsor a Texercise Fitness Demonstration and Fun Walk on the shores of Town Lake.

Featured speakers included Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, who is the NGA chairman. Private sponsors for the event were official state Texercise sponsor BlueCross BlueShield of Texas, SBC, RunTex and 40plus Fitness.

Kempthorne, in his remarks, praised Texercise as a model for the NGA's nationwide efforts to lower health and long-term care costs through state-sponsored fitness-promotion campaigns.

Speakers at the Texercise event, left-right: Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Mary Sapp, Gov. Kempthorne and Texas Commissioner of Health Dr. Eduardo Sanchez	Just a few of the exuberant Texercise participants
Gov. Kempthorne talks fitness with Ruth Bollin, the host of a popular Austin television show on older-adult fitness, and TDoA staff member Dr. Beth Stalvey	Starting the Texercise Fun Walk are, left-right: Commissioners Combs and Sanchez and Govs. Kempthorne and Perry

Updated: August 28, 2008