A local woman’s quest to complete 50 marathons in 50 states before the age of 50 has inspired residents of 58 senior living communities across the country. Each of these communities, including The Heritage of Green Hills in Reading, Pa., participated in Project 1,310, named for the number of miles in 50 marathons. Each community’s goal was to engage in 1,310 miles of cardiovascular exercise in just one month. The Heritage of Green Hills was the first community to reach 1,310 miles, accomplishing the feat in just one week.
Project 1,310 was an initiative of Life Care Services (LCS), a leading provider of high-quality senior lifestyle products and services and the management company for the 58 participating senior communities. The inspiration behind the initiative was Birdsboro resident Elizabeth Proffitt, marketing and sales director at The Heritage. After the untimely death of her husband in 2005, Proffitt sought a way to overcome her grief. She made it her goal to complete 50 marathons in all 50 states before the age of 50. With the help of a friend and the support of her employer, she completed her quest in the fall of 2013 at the age of 49.
Project 1,310 guidelines allowed participants to log their 1,310 miles by walking, running, swimming or other cardiovascular exercise. Residents recorded their mileage using pedometers or other measuring devices from February 17 to March 18, 2014. At the conclusion of Project 1,310, 42 of the 58 LCS communities had surpassed 1,310 miles. Henry Ford Village, an LCS community in Dearborn, Mich., achieved the most exercise miles with 10,503.
LCS created a special Intranet site containing helpful Project 1,310 information, including motivational videos recorded by Proffitt, a performance-tracking database and a display of system-wide results. Project 1,310 achievements were recognized on local and national bases.
According to Proffitt, ‘Project 1,310 reflects the strong culture of wellness and fitness at Life Care Services, where we promote Eight Dimensions of Wellness.’ Part of The Well by Design program, the eight dimensions are intellectual, physical, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, vocational and health services.
‘Through Project 1,310, thousands of seniors reaped the physical, emotional, cognitive and social benefits that exercise can provide,’ Proffitt added. ‘The program certainly built a sense of competition and camaraderie among the 58 participating communities. The team from The Heritage really whooped it up when they broke the 1,310 barrier within one week.’
‘Project 1,310 fit right in with our lifestyle here at The Heritage,’ said Heritage resident Tom Wallace. ‘We live life to the fullest and aren’t afraid to challenge ourselves to achieve better, healthier lives.’
About Heritage of Green HillsThe Heritage of Green Hills is an active, 55+ independent living community located on 78 rolling acres in Shillington, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The full-service, maintenance-free retirement community provides a wealth of healthcare and support services as well as a variety of amenities including housekeeping, maintenance and meals, enabling an active and enriched lifestyle. The Community Life Services program provides customized wellness plans, and an on-site Health Services Navigator that coordinates all health-related services to help residents stay well. Established in 2009, The Heritage of Green Hills is managed by Life Care Services, an LCS company. Life Care Services is the leading manager of full-service senior living communities serving 32,000 seniors in 28 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, please visit www.HeritageOfGreenHills.com.
From The Heritage