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Meet the Challenge Winners

Meet the Challenge winners honored at winter conference Four corrections professionals honored for fitness challenge programs

A s part of an initiative sponsored by ACA President Tony Parker, four corrections professionals were honored at the Winter Conference General Session in Phoenix for their efforts in participating in challenges to encourage a healthier lifestyle for corrections professionals. The “Meet the Challenge” initiative was an- nounced in May of 2021 during a webinar. ‘Meet the Challenge’ encouraged all corrections agen- cies to provide some sort of contest for their staff targeting measurable improvements to some aspect of their staff’s wellness. Each agency which participated in the chal- lenge, selected a winner and submitted an essay to the American Correctional Association on why that person was selected. These winners were

entered into a final prize drawing where they could win roundtrip airline tickets and free registration to this conference in Phoenix. Agencies created contests in a variety of differ- ent ways: from increased water intake to spending more time outdoors to improving peer support op- portunities to more physical activity to weight loss to artistic displays conveying personal emotions. Four exemplary corrections professionals from four different areas of corrections participated in their agencies’ program and were selected to travel to Phoenix and be honored for their commitment to wellbeing. The first area was the local detention facility category and the winners was Melissa Russell, an officer from the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s

2022 Winter Conference

Melissa Russell, Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Linda Moore, Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.

48 — May/June 2022 Corrections Today