Hoffman seniors earn fitness awards
Last year, Schaumburg resident Cathi Watson earned the community leadership award from the President's Council on Physical Fitness. The septuagenarian earned the award, in part because of her active lifestyle - including doing "Hustle Up the Hancock" five times in the past decade - and in part because of her enthusiasm in promoting a healthy lifestyle for others.
This year she continued that advocacy by making two nominations to the council for the 2008 awards - and both nominations were selected among the 27 winners nationwide.
Earning the honor this year are Hap and Jan Wittkamp, who won as a couple, and Lollie Guiney, all three of Hoffman Estates.
The Wittkamps, both 7th degree black belts, teach judo at area park districts and senior centers. Guiney, a member of the Hoffman Estates Park Districts, spreads her enthusiasm for fitness by organizing programs for seniors in basketball and volleyball.
Jan & Hap Wittkamp
The couple that exercises together stays together.
These words were never truer than for Jan and Hap Wittkamp, who have been married for 50 years.
"As a couple, both share, teach, and volunteer their time to motivate by example," said Watson. "I'm not surprised the Wittkamps won the community leadership award because they've been consistent and persistent torchbearers for physical fitness not only appealing to the younger generation but to the 50-plus."
Childhood sweethearts, they have always supported each other's fitness activities.
Jan, 68, and Hap, 70, attended the same Skokie high school before raising their family in Glenview, and moving to Hoffman Estates 12 years ago.
Hap, once a speed skater, was co-captain of the Niles Township High School team, while Jan played tennis and softball.
"It was during the second World War when women's softball became popular," said Jan. "My dad took me to try out for a semiprofessional team, but then he thought I was too young to travel, so I declined."
Additionally, much of society frowned on the idea of women playing sports.
"In the late '40s and mid '50s it was not considered feminine," said Hap, who has coached football and wrestling at Maine West High School in Des Plaines. "Girls would get the nickname, 'tomboy.'"
Luckily, Jan stood strong and pursued her interests, enabling her to eventually participate in like-minded hobbies with her husband. Both became involved in judo in the '60s, and are now 7th degree black belts inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. They officiated at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and the 1997 Pan American Games in Puerto Rico.
Starting in 2005 and continuing today, the Wittkamps have been researching and promoting senior activities within their park district. They won the village's Volunteer of the Year award for their efforts.
"We visited senior groups to find out what activities they enjoy and then reported back to the park district," said Jan. "Then we tried to implement the programs with some help."
Lollie Guiney
Lollie Guiney has a "passion for bringing seniors together for a new beginning socially and informing seniors about healthy activities," said Watson. "Lollie walks the walk and talks the talk. She began exercising at the age of 5 and is still igniting static electricity in the lives of many, encouraging them to get fit."
Indeed, Guiney is known as somewhat of a lightning bolt throughout Hoffman Estates. She has won a combination of more than 100 gold, silver and bronze medals from the Illinois Senior Olympics and has been a park district commissioner for 11 years.
"Some friends came to me and said, 'Lollie, you're going to run.' And I did and I love it," said the 78-year-old. "I've made every meeting."
During those meetings, as a liaison to other "50-plusers," Guiney was instrumental in the implementation and expansion of senior programs. Today, she is still working diligently toward those goals.
"One thing near and dear to me is I would like to have a 50 and over coed soccer league," said Guiney. "It's on paper now so it's just a matter of coordinating it with other park district programs."
Active now with volleyball, swimming, and golf, Guiney will participate once again at the Illinois Senior Olympics as a member of the She-Ca-Go basketball team.
"I think we'll take the gold in the 75 and over," she said. "There's not as many teams in that division."
Guiney recalled her youthful days filled with street football, jungle basketball and sandlot softball.
"When they would tar the roads we'd ask them to put some down to mark our bases," she recalled.
Moreover, she feels somehow her childhood brought her to the award.
"I think I received it from a culmination of a lifetime of physical activity," she said. "All the while I was enjoying it I didn't realize I was becoming a role model."
President's Council
The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports was first established as the President's Council on Youth Fitness in 1956 by President Eisenhower. Its community leadership award, now in its second year, is given out annually to no more than 50 individuals, in any age range, who provide or enhance a fitness activity in their community in some substantial manner.
This year, 27 of the 34 nationwide applicants won the award. There were three winners from Illinois, with Guiney and the Wittkamps taking two of the awards.
Nominations are being accepted through Oct. 1 for the 2009 awards. To learn more about the program, visit www.fitness.gov; scroll to the bottom of the home page to the "awards" section on the right hand side.