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Fitness for Alzheimer’s set for October 21 at Healthier You Expo

Jason Keller shows off one of the championship belts up for grabs at Fitness for Alzheimer's, set for October 21 at the Healthier You Expo. Bill Phillips photo
Jason Keller shows off one of the championship belts up for grabs at Fitness for Alzheimer’s, set for October 21 at the Healthier You Expo. Bill Phillips photo

BY BILL PHILLIPS

bill@pgdailynews.ca

Ever wanted to win one of those big championship belts?

Your opportunity is here.

All you have to do is compete in Fitness for Alzheimer’s October 21 at the Healthier You Expo at the College of New Caledonia.

The fundraising event is being organized by Jason Keller, who has some personal reasons for supporting Alzheimer’s B.C.

“Dementia has always been a part of my family,” he said. “And myself, coming from a brain injury, the chances of me one day developing the same kind of issues, decided I’m not willing to sit back and wait for things. I want to try and help out where I can.”

In 2011, the fitness instructor fell off a Skytrain station platform in Vancouver and was in a coma for a month and hospital for a year recovering.

So he is inspired to help out. That helping out meant coming up with the idea of Fitness for Alzheimer’s.

The idea is that participants collect $1 donations for every physical activity that they are going to do during the event. Those activities could be anything from a push-up, a squat, a burpee, a sit-up, a crunch, or whatever.

Participants collect the donations and then, on October 21, come down to the Healthier You Expo and do the activities.

The top fundraising team and top individual will each win one of those marvellous championship belts.

All the funds go to the Alzheimer’s Society of B.C.

Keller has been targeting the fitness community to get involved, but it is open to everyone.

“Anyone who is affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia or anyone able to help in the community can get involved,” he said.

He says physical activity is important in the battle against Alzheimer’s and dementia.

“Physical fitness saves lives,” he said. “In 2011, I fell 30 feet and the only reason I’m probably here today is the physical shape I was in in the first place. I’ve recovered great and that’s probably because physical fitness is a big part of my life.”

The goal is to raise $5,000 this year and Keller is hoping it will get bigger over time.

Keller’s goal is 1,000 push-ups on that day so give him a pledge, or better yet, do your own fundraising and activity.

You can register on their Facebook page, Fitness for Alzheimer’s. On the page you can download a pledge sheet from the Facebook page.

“Come on down and show your support financially, or just by being there,” he said.

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