The Virginia Tech Recreational Sports Department awards the Songer Whitewater Splash Challenge, and Images By B Mind and Body Incentive winners from the fall semester.

Recreational Sports, part of Virginia Tech’s Division of Student Affairs, encourages healthy habits through exercise programs offered in McComas Hall and War Memorial Gym during the academic semester. The department believes it is essential to provide a variety of recreational opportunities that will fuel and pump the faculty, staff, and the student body of Virginia Tech to work out. At the same time, there are incentive prizes to reward participants for challenging their bodies physically and mentally.

Many of the incentive challenges last semester included grand prizes to motivate individuals to exercise and reward them for their excessive workout achievements. The Songer Whitewater Splash Challenge put our swimmers to the test. Participants had to spend at least a total of 15 hours “splashing” in the pool throughout the semester. The “splashing” activities that could be counted were swimming, water aerobics, water jogging, and other physical water activities.

Nanda Chassot, a geosciences graduate student from Woodbridge, Va., was the grand prize winner for the Overnight on the New River Songer Whitewater rafting trip for two. “I like that the challenge provided a goal to achieve,” said Chassot. “Sometimes it’s easy for me to talk myself out of going to the gym. I knew that if I fell behind on keeping up with my hours, it would be impossible to catch up, so I would drag myself to the pool even though I was tired or it was cold and raining outside.”

Likewise, four runner-up winners received a $25 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card. The winners are Crystal Pruitt, a human nutrition, foods, and exercise major from Poquoson, Va.; Amos Desjardins, a geospatial and environmental analysis PH.D. student from Parsonsfield, Me.; Lauren Watkins, a sophomore interdisciplinary studies major from Yorktown, Va.; and, Stephanie Moore, a senior chemistry major from Fredericksburg, Va.

Stephanie Moore is also a member of the water polo team at Virginia Tech. She took this challenge as an opportunity to continue her fitness outside of her water polo hours. “It got me to get in the pool for longer amounts of time, and I’m trying to get all of my team members to do it,” said Moore. “It is a great way to get others involved.”

Recreational Sports will continue the Songer Whitewater Splash Challenge during the spring 2008 semester. Participants will be required to swim for 25 hours to be eligible for the April 30 grand prize drawing for another Overnight on the New River Songer Whitewater rafting trip for two.

Furthermore, Recreational Sports announces the second winner for the Images By B Mind and Body Challenge. Crystal Delgaudio, a freshman political science major from Loudon County, Va., won the last $50 gift certificate from Images by B Salon and Spa located in the university mall in Blacksburg, Va. She can use her gift certificate toward a haircut, color, nails, or a massage. Delgaudio attended Pilates classes held at McComas Hall to win this incentive challenge. Recreational Sports will continue the Images By B Mind and Body Challenge in spring 2008. Interested parties are encouraged to sign up early for spring fitness classes.

If you are trying to get back on track in time for spring break, then the Swipe, Sweat and Win incentive contest is for you. Participants who work out at least three times or more a week at either War Memorial Hall Hokie Gym or McComas Gym to be automatically entered into this weekly drawing just for swiping their Hokie Passport. Two winners will be selected each Monday during the semester, and each winner will receive a prize from one of our four sponsors: Blockbuster, Famous Anthony’s, Bogen’s Steakhouse and Squeaky’s Laser Wash Car Wash. Winners are notified by e-mail.

These challenges are quite intense, but chances of winning aren’t one in a million either. One major goal of the Recreational Sports incentive programs is to encourage participants to consistently continue to stay active. Make this semester a success as you strive to be a healthy Hokie.

Virginia Tech Recreational Sports, part of Virginia Tech’s Division of Student Affairs, joins in partnership with the university to enhance the quality of life for all students, faculty, staff, their families, and the community by providing recreational and fitness opportunities throughout the year. For more information on all events and programs, visit Virginia Tech Recreational Sports online or call their main office at (540) 231-6856.

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