Q&A: New Fitness Program Will 'Ambush' Active Community Members With Prizes

Editor's Note: This summer, the Inver Grove Heights Parks and Recreation Department will be rewarding residents engaged in a fitness-related activity through its new "Random Acts of Fitness" program. We caught up with Inver Grove Heights Recreation Superintendent Tracy Petersen to find out more about the program. Read more about the program here.

Inver Grove Heights Patch: What do you hope to accomplish through Random Acts of Fitness?

Recreation Superintendent Tracy Petersen: The goal of the program is to keep families and neighbors healthy throughout the summer, to get them outside being active, whether it's mowing the lawn, playing catch, walking along the trail, or walking the dog. It's trying to get people engaged in the community. This program is made possible by a grant from the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation, so that's the basis for getting this.

Inver Grove Heights Patch: What inspired you to take this kind of approach to weight loss and fitness?

Petersen: I think it's catching people in their own element, in their neighborhoods and in our parks. It's going out and getting out into the community, rather than having them come to the community center or take a fitness class. It's rewarding people for already doing active, healthy things in their own environment.

Inver Grove Heights Patch: How do you select your 'targets' and how does the program function?

Petersen: In terms of selecting them, we'll just pick random parks or trails or neighborhoods and look for people who we think are being active. It's meant to be done in a fun way, along the concept of the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes idea. We see you doing something healthy and we want to reward you and thank you for being active.

Inver Grove Heights Patch: But no big checks, right?

Petersen: No big checks. [laughter] They'll get a t-shirt with a bag of swag. It'll have a waterbottle and a keychain and some other Parks and Rec-type cool stuff.

Inver Grove Heights Patch: Do people have to sign up for the program?

Petersen: No, it's totally on the Parks and Recreation Department's behalf. We're going to interview [winners], ask them a few survey questions, take their photo...We'll post that on our website and Facebook page. As we get going, we may notify people when we may be in their neighborhood or in a park, just to let them know them know that we're going to be checking it out to see who's active this summer.