We are now just about three weeks away from Seeds of HOPE, our inaugural health and wellness forum taking place this time around in Springfield, Missouri.
Collectively, we hope to plant seeds of HOPE, and come together as we’re Helping with Obesity Prevention through Education.
If you’ve been on the fence about snagging a ticket to our event … consider this your sign! Speaking on behalf of everyone attending from TOPS HQ, we’d love to see you there. [Register using this link].
So if you’re within a day’s drive (or able to book a flight!), please join us – maybe you could make it a road trip. Bring your chapter. Or pack up the whole family. So many options! And remember, you don’t have to be a TOPS member to attend, so if you’d like to register a spouse or a pal who’s not with our great organization (just yet) 😉 that person is absolutely welcome. The more the merrier! Let’s expose as many people as we can to this fantastic community.
Also, we had some questions early on about the price. The cost is $80 (USD) for the entire weekend, not per day. Quite the steal, if you ask me!
Related: Everything to do in Springfield, Missouri
You can look forward to networking with current TOPS members from across the U.S. and Canada. Hear what other people are doing in chapter meetings, and how they’re fundraising for their groups. Be inspired by others’ successes – or share your own! The sky’s the limit. We’re pleased to announce that people are coming from 48 U.S. states and several Canadian provinces, which is pretty incredible!
Anyway, I asked the team for any newly confirmed details we could pass along from HQ, and here’s what we can release!
In terms of speakers/sessions …
Angela Jenkins, RD, LD, will be running a “Food Marketing and How it Speaks to Us” session.
People are living longer than ever before, on more medications, but seemingly sicker than ever before. What’s going on? Come journey through the explanation of our broken food and medical system. Angela Jenkins, a registered dietitian, over the years became interested in how our food is raised and grown, the influence it has on our health and the significance that food policy has on our food supply. Jenkins has her own consulting business, focusing on health and nutrition with a special emphasis on the influence of local food and regenerative agriculture. She comes to the table illuminating the understanding that our current “convenience-based” society has left us somewhat disconnected from real food.
Dr. Steve Hughlett will be conducting the following breakout sessions: “Diets vs. Healthy Eating”; “Is There A Right or Wrong Way to Lose Weight?”; and “Injectables for Weight Loss.”
Dr. Steve Hughlett has been a clinical pharmacist for more than 30 years in a hospital setting. He has given numerous talks to health care professionals and enjoys learning and educating others. Hughlett’s passion lies in helping people with their health. This has led him to change his focus from treating the unhealthy to trying to prevent others from developing unhealthy habits.
Nancy Reid, an Advocate in Northeast Missouri, will run “Healthy at Every Size.”
Nancy L. Reid earned her Master of Education in guidance and counseling, community and agency counseling from Lincoln University in 2005, and has been a licensed professional counselor since 2007. Reid worked for 26 years for the State of Missouri, 23 years under Children’s Division and three years with the Department of Mental Health, Fulton State Hospital. Since retiring in 2022, Reid has been employed part-time with The Agency, A Wellness Center, in Bowling Green, Missouri, counseling adults, primarily. Reid has been a TOPS Advocate since 2015, serving Central Missouri originally, and now in Northeast Missouri.
John Delameter, a TOPS member, will lead the breakouts all about Fatty Liver Disease.
John Delameter is a Stage 4 cancer survivor, author, and fellow TOPS member. He approaches serious matters with an incredible sense of humor.
Dr. Brett Dawson Wilkinson, LD, will conduct the Bariatric Surgery session.
Dr. Brett Dawson Wilkinson is a dietitian who specializes in weight management.
Carol Holtz, the TOPS Club Virtual Programming Administrator, will cover “Obesity and the Childhood Origins of an Adult Disease” and a session on Binge Eating.
Carol Holtz is the granddaughter of TOPS founder Esther Manz, the lead online meeting facilitator for TOPS, and a current member on the TOPS Board of Directors.
Dr. Angeline Stanislaus, MD, will cover the Mental Wellness session.
Dr. Angeline Stanislaus is currently the Chief Medical Director-Adult Services in the Missouri Department of Mental Health. Stanislaus is also board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry.
Jana Comer, an Advocate in Oklahoma, will host a “Good Bacteria vs. Bad Bacteria” breakout.
Jana Comer received her Master of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Oklahoma State University. Her research focus included bacterial genetics, and her work has been published in Biochemical Genetics and the Canadian Journal of Microbiology. She is also the co-author of a chapter in the book “Springer Index of Viruses.”
Jason Harrell will tackle the “Physical Activity vs. Physical Fitness” topic.
*To read more about the event’s previously confirmed speakers, keynotes Mike Breeze, Nathan Osmond, Matthew Skinner, Rick Danforth and Dr. Kyler James Sherman-Wilkins, click or tap here.
TOPS Club doesn’t promote unrealistic images of the “perfect” body, and instead focuses on overall health. It’s not about achieving a flat stomach, a certain pants size or a number on the scale. True health is having the energy and stamina to do the things you love with the people you care about. It’s a mind-body-soul connection; wellness achieved from the inside out. After all, life starts with just a seed. When a seed is planted and starts to grow, that’s when opportunity arises – and with a combination of hope, effort and resilience, comes transformation. We’re so hoping you can evolve and transform with us – expand your mind, move your body and nourish your soul at this TOPS-hosted three-day health and wellness forum.
I would love to attend! Why is it during the weekdays? I can’t take off work for it.
Sorry to hear that! 🙁 That’s just the way the scheduling worked out this year.
So excited for Seeds of HOPE! We registered when it first was available and can’t believe it’s almost here!
I can’t believe we leave next week! 🙂