Hospital ball celebrates Win With Wellness

Mark Vipperman speaks. In back from left, Leslie Vipperman, Tara and Dr. Bret Autrey.

HAMLIN TWP. — The annual Memorial Medical Center Benefit Ball has funded several hospital projects over the years. The money raised in benefits of the past have helped pay for the women’s imaging center, among many others. On Saturday, proceeds from the ball helped raise money for Win With Wellness, a program started by Memorial Medical Center and the District No. 10 Health Department.

The purpose of the program is to create healthier lifestyles for the people the hospital serves. Recently the hospital expanded its reach of Win With Wellness services to not only include Mason County but also Lake County and the north part of Oceana County.

To give testimony of the effects of living a healthier lifestyle, the evening’s co-hosts, Dr. Bret and Tara Autrey  — along with Memorial CEO Mark Vipperman and his wife, Leslie — spoke about their experience. Tara said they were on vacation at Disney World. The hotel room had a scale in it, so Bret decided to step on it. He didn’t like the number and at that moment the couple decided it was time to do something about it. Tara described herself at the time as “quite voluptuous.”

They now live a lifestyle of healthy food choices and exercise.

Bret said Win With Wellness provides screening services to the community. He said statistically the people of Mason County are the same as the rest of Michigan, with about 64% either obese or overweight.

“We’re part of a trend in Ludington started by the hospital,” Tara said. “We’re here to celebrate a wonderful program: Win With Wellness.”