FitFactor equals fun for Hurlburt children

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mareshah Haynes
  • COMMANDO staff
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Recently, the Air Force designed a program to make its force fit to fight. Now the Air Force has expanded its fitness goals to children of Air Force members with the FitFactor program.

Hurlburt Field’s youth program is looking for children ages 9-18 years old to enroll in the Air Force’s FitFactor program. The FitFactor program allows children to earn points and prizes for the physical activities they are involved in and for their healthy eating habits.

There are five different color-coded levels in the program that children can strive for. The levels are energy, strength, agility, adventure and endurance. Participants win a bracelet and pen according to their level.

If a child logs in at least 500 points per month, he or she is eligible for a bonus prize drawing twice a month.

Other prizes include FitFactor backpacks filled with goodies.

“Children can earn points for things like riding bikes, doing chores and sports practices,” said Belinda Ford, school-age program assistant.

“They can get points for just about anything that gets them up and moving, said Stanley Drew, school-age program assistant and FitFactor point of contact. “They can even get points for vacuuming or helping around the house.”

“The kids love it, and I can see the difference in them. There is one girl in particular who has more energy since starting the program, and she’s more eager to participate,” Mr. Drew said.

“Currently, the enrollment for Hurlburt Field is at 83 children and the youth program has a goal to have 100 children enrolled by the end of April,” said Stanley Drew, youth programs director.
Hurlburt Field has the highest enrollment in Air Force Special Operations Command and their numbers rival those of bigger bases, like Eglin Air Force Base.

The program runs all year long and starts over in October.

Parents can sign their children up for FitFactor at www.afgetfit.com. The site tracks the child’s progress and notifies the FitFactor point of contact of the progress each child is making.

Participants can visit the youth center to pick up their prizes.

Anyone interested in enrolling in FitFactor can visit or call Stanley Drew, Katherine Hammer or Charles Vieth at the Hurlburt Field Youth Center at 884-6355/3769.