Lepanto Senior Steppers move toward success The Lepanto Senior Center recently presented awards to area seniors who participated in the Senior Steppers program. Receiving first place in the program was Leaman Gould, who walked 2,275,257 steps; second place went to Inez Chapple, with 770,896 steps, while Imogene Harris received third place, walking 732,735 steps. Dorothy Byrd and Mose Freeman received medals for their work, walking a combined 1.4 million steps. (Tribune Photo/Michael Wilkey)

Sixteen Lepanto seniors were honored last Friday at the Lepanto Senior Center for their work in the Senior Steppers program.

The program allowed residents for the last three months to walk around the center and community, using a step counter and pure inspiration. Receiving first place in the group was Leemon Gould, who walked 2,275,257 steps over a three-month period. Inez Chapple received second place, with 770,896 steps, while Imogene Harris received third place, walking over 732,735 steps. Dorothy Byrd and Mose Freeman received medals for their work, walking 670,770 steps and 668,968 steps respectively. Receiving honorable mention for the exercise were Virginia Ammons, Bobby Harris, Mary Harris, Velda Britton, Pat Lee, Jesse Carson, Thelma Gonzales, Willene Garner, Helen Shinault, Blanche Watts and Bill Hannah.

Event coordinator Nancy Franks told the Tri-City Tribune last week that the group started the exercise last year and worked to keep each other encouraged. Franks stated, "We tried to do something for their health. The exercise has helped many of the residents in lowering their cholesterol."

In the three month period that the group exercised, they walked a total of 8,093,185 steps, which is the equivalent of 4,046 miles, a distance from New York to Hawaii.