By Jeff Bahr
Construction worker Stephen Marette is well known to local residents as a Christian man who practices what he preaches. Often spotted around town lugging an eight-foot-tall wooden cross as a way of demonstrating his faith, it’s no secret that Marette believes strongly in Jesus. He also believes in setting good examples, which brings him to his latest endeavor.
Marette has fought the “battle of the bulge” for as long as he remembers. Like many, his efforts have mostly been in vain; he gains a little, loses a little, but the problem still persists.
A longtime friend of The Observer, Marette saw a golden opportunity materialize when publisher Lisa Pezzolla mentioned that Krank Systems, a Nutley gym, will be holding a Fat Loss Challenge – with half of the proceeds going to the Gail’s Angels Foundation, a nonprofi t organization founded in 2007 to honor Nutley resident Gail E. Babai who died from breast cancer. The foundation is dedicated to providing support to mothers fighting breast cancer who also care for an autistic or specialneeds child.
After kicking the idea around for a spell, Marette decided that it was now or never. It was an easy decision since his efforts will benefi t not only himself, but others as well. But if that didn’t do the trick there is a certain biblical passage about the body as a “temple” that may have sealed the deal in Marette’s mind.
The purpose of the 90- day Fat Loss Challenge is to promote a healthier lifestyle while raising funds for Gail’s Angels. Each participant must pay an entry fee of $20. One-half of the proceeds will be donated to the foundation, and the other half will be given to the group with the most overall fat loss.
Fittingly, The Observer will “observe” our hero Stephen as he endeavors to lose weight in the name of all that’s holy and good. In addition to publishing his weight at each weigh-in, The Observer will also maintain an ongoing video log of Marette’s efforts. The latter will be featured on The Observer’s website: www.theobserver.com.
Registrations for the Fat Loss Challenge are currently being accepted. Krank Fitness is expecting in excess of 100 participants. The Initial weigh-in will be held at Krank Systems’ Nutley facility on Saturday, Feb. 4, at noon. The fi nal weigh-in is scheduled for Saturday, May 5. To apply or to receive more information, contact Pete Islip at 973-320-2600.
Krank Systems is located at 386 Franklin Ave., Nutley.
