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DeSoto County Community Health Council member Sarah Edmiston along with Council Chair Mellany Evans presented the May Health Champion Recognition to Chlonda Abston, owner of WHEE Fitness Ministry (Women’s Health Emotions and Enhancements).  Abston not only promotes healthy lifestyles for her clients, but has personally lost 182 pounds and is an advocate of a healthy lifestyle, the natural way.  One of her clients, Bonnie Buntin (right) was also present.  The Community Health Council is a component of the Community Foundation's health initiative, GET A LIFE!  To nominate a Health Champion for June, email Peggy Linton (plinton@cfnm.org) and for more information on GET A LIFE! go to www.kidsgetalife.org.  

                                           CONTACT:           Mellany Evans, Chair DeSoto County Community Health Council 901.762.7612                                                                 

                                                                          Chlonda Abston, WHEE Fitness Ministry 901.315.4325                                                                                                            

WHEE FITNESS MINISTRY EARNS MAY HEALTH CHAMPION RECOGNITION 

She gets up every morning at 3:15 and says she works out for a living! She is Chlonda Abston, owner of WHEE Fitness Ministry and the recipient of the DeSoto County Community Health Council Health Champion award for the month of May.  Chlonda has been in business since 1997.  The title of her business WHEE is an acronym for Women’s Health Emotions and Enhancements.  Chlonda practices what she preaches.  In 1995, she weighed 322 pounds and unlike most people who won’t tell their weight, she proudly states her current weight of 182 with a goal to lose even more (down to 150).  She is an advocate of a healthy lifestyle, the natural way.   

Chlonda teaches aerobics six days a week for the City of Hernando.  Classes are held at the Gale Community Center Monday through Saturday each week.  Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes are from 5 am until 6 am.  Tuesday and Thursday classes are from 6 pm until 7 pm with Saturday classes being from 9 am until 10 am.  In addition to teaching aerobics, Chlonda also sees clients in her studio (located at Hacks Cross Road and Shelby Drive).  She offers training in flexibility, cardio, strength and endurance and is an advocate for education.  With a medical background as a Medical Assistant and LPN, she is currently an Exercise Science major at NWCC.  She has received 4 national certifications:  AFAA, ACE, NEDITA and YMCA.  She is available to speak to groups of any size – from church groups to school classrooms or anywhere there is an audience who wants to be motivated toward a healthier lifestyle.   

The DeSoto County Community Health Council, a component of the GET A LIFE! Health initiative of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi, seeks nominations each month for a ‘health champion’.  This could be a person, school, church, organization or business that has been an advocate for healthy lifestyles in DeSoto County.  “Chlonda and WHEE Fitness are great examples of health champions and we are honored to recognize them for May”, Mellany Evans, Chair of the DeSoto County Community Health Council. 

 To learn more about WHEE Fitness Ministry, call. 901.315.4325.  To learn more about GET A LIFE! visit www.kidsgetalife.org or call 662.298.0027.  To nominate a health champion for June, send nomination to plinton@cfnm.org.