Farmington Hills Council Member Pitches Fitness Idea

Imagine a community where friends meet while taking fitness walks through town and where residents engage in friendly weight loss and fitness goal competitions.  

That's the vision Farmington Hills council member Richard Lerner sees when he talks about F2H Fit, a web-based initiative that he said already has buy-in from , the , and , among other organizations. 

Lerner introduced the idea during Tuesday's joint meeting of the and city councils and . The groups meet annually to exchange information and ideas for cooperative efforts.

And as cooperative efforts go, this one would encompass virtually the entire community, Lerner said. 

"It's all about challenging each other to get involved in fitness," he told his colleagues. 

Lerner said the idea came from the mayor of Oklahoma City, where community leaders launched a million-pound weight loss initiative in 2010, after the city was ranked among the fattest cities in the country. He related the idea to "placemaking", or finding ways to "make your community a place people want to go to."

The web-based program, offered through Healthwise Champions, provides a central location for participants to log in and keep track of their exercise, journal about their eating habits and get tips for eating more healthfully, Lerner said. 

"A great part of the success of this type of program is keeping a journal," he added. 

Sponsorships would keep the program free to local residents. Lerner said Botsford Hospital has indicated an interest in providing both support and content for the website. The program would be run through the community foundation, so its board could apply for grants. Lerner identified "Tier 1" partners that would be part of the program leadership, and "Tier 2" partners that include local media, private schools and civic organizations. 

Start up costs are estimated at $10,000-$12,000 he said, which would potentially be off-set by selling banner advertising on the website, applying for grants and soliciting sponsorships. 

"I really think we can do this on a shoestring," Lerner said, "and it's something that really touches on every aspect of the community. It's something that could really tie the community together."

Farmington Hills city council member Randy Bruce pointed out the physical health initiative fit well with the community's focus on mental health. Earlier in the meeting, officials received an update on a suicide prevention task force, which is hosting a community forum later this month. 

Next steps include resolutions from the city councils and school board, and organization of the F2H Fit board. In addition to the major community partners, an IT professional, marketing professional and graphic artists are needed to complete the group. Lerner said the program could start in early 2013.

There's already the start of a website: f2hfit.com.