The first Challenge Event of the Fifth Annual Fall River Fitness Challenge was held at the Veterans' Memorial Auditorium on a snowy January 21st. Originally slated as a 5K walk to Independence Park and back, the weather dictated that the event be held indoors. Participants divided into four groups, each doing five minutes of a different exercise interspersed by five laps of the gym. "People got a good workout without overdoing it at their first event," noted Challenge Coordinator Annemarie Sharkey. Organized by the Diabetes Association, Inc. (DAI),  Community Development Recreation (CD-REC), the Fall River YMCA, General Fitness and Healthy City Fall River, and sponsored by Partners for a Healthier Community, the Challenge offers low cost opportunities for those who live, work or attend school in Greater Fall River to get fit, lose weight, have fun and win prizes. Registration is open through the end of January, and many people will register and weigh-in at their workplace in the coming weeks. Click here for the video of the event. Click here for photos of the initial weigh-in and health fair. Call CD-REC at 508-679-0922 for more information or go to www.FallRiverFitnessChallenge.com..

(Top row) Fitness Challenge coordinator Annemarie Sharkey gives instructions to the group to walk five times around the gym and then stop at one of four stations for two minutes of different exercises. (Row two, left) Fitness leader Daryl Parrent leads Deanna Perry and Karen Irons in some punches. (Row two, right) M.J. Alfano, in pink, leads the group in leg lifts. (Row three, center) Stacy Primo, center, leads her group. (Bottom row, left) First-time Fitness Challenge participants Dan Hankins and Mark Souza walk around the gym. (Row three, right) Alyssa Dailey, right, leads the group in arm lifts.