By Judy Halone-The Courier-Herald

The city of Bonney Lake has joined forces with Sumner city employees in a friendly, 13-week Biggest Loser competition.

The event is part of Bonney Lake's health and wellness campaign, which organizes family-friendly events each month for its 124 employees.

“We thought the best way to do this was to put a little competition into it,” said Human Resources Director Jenna Young, who serves as one of the campaign's coordinators.

The challenge began April 3 and includes weekly meetings at City Hall for weigh-ins. Bonney Lake's group of 31 participants include 12 men and 19 women who represent a total beginning weight of 7,051 pounds.

Sumner's group of 18 includes nine men and nine women for a total weight of 3,980 pounds.

As of Thursday's meeting, Bonney Lake employees had lost 115.1 pounds - a 1.6323 difference compared with the first week. Sumner employees recorded a loss of 34.6 pounds - a .8693 difference.

Participants paid a $20 fee, which will be used for prizes, Young said. Those who gain pay a $1 penalty for every full pound.

“The competition will be based on percentage of the weight lost, with a payoff to the biggest loser - man and woman - each month for each of the cities,” she said. “The Wellness Committee is so excited to sponsor the event and we were pleasantly surprised by the number of individuals who signed up to compete and make some healthy changes!”

While decreasing weekly in size, it also hopes to increase in motivation.

“The nice thing about this challenge is the camaraderie among the employees,” Young said. “We're a team that can help through the process, learn about others' health habits and find out what works for others.”

Extra activities, such as matching walking partners with participants during lunch, helps make the losing easier.

“I'm always looking for participants,” Young said of the city's wellness activities. “Anytime you get 31 people signed up for something, that's good.”

Judy Halone can be reached at jhalone@courierherald.com.