The Northeast Georgia Writers' club recently held its 37th annual awards banquet at the Gainesville Elks Lodge, announcing winners of the 2011 writing contests. Local author and illustrator Robyn Hood Black was the keynote speaker, presenting a "Journey Through Words and Pictures."

Judges included Janice Alonso, author; Robert S. King, author and president of the Georgia Poetry Society; Janie Dempsey Watts and Pamela J. Dodd, authors; Mitch Clarke, executive editor of The Times; and Miro Gomez, West Hall Middle School drama and music teacher, and principal cellist of the Gainesville Symphony Orchestra. Award winners are:

Assigned Subject: 1st place Bonnie Unnold; 2nd place, Lynda Holmes; 3rd place, Rosemary Harris-Mallinson.

Poetry: 1st place, Ruthanna Kilpatrick-Bass; 2nd place, Diann Rountree; 3rd place, Barbara H. Harper.

Short story: 1st place, Rosemary Harris-Mallinson; 2nd place, Lynda Holmes; 3rd place, Barbara H. Harper.

Children's story: 1st place, Lynda Holmes; 2nd place, Ruthanna Kilpatrick- Bass; 3rd place, Rose Matthis Parsons.

Non-fiction article: 1st place, Diann Rountree; 2nd place, Barbara H. Harper; 3rd place, Lynda Holmes.

My Own Life story: 1st place, Bonnie Unnold; 2nd place, Lynda Holmes; 3rd place, Rose Matthis Parsons.

Song Lyrics: 1st place, Lynda Holmes; 2nd place, Rosemary Harris-Mallinson; 3rd place, Marsha Hopkins.

Drama: 1st place, Rosemary Harris-Mallinson; 2nd place, Lynda Holmes; 3rd place, Ruthanna Kilpatrick-Bass.

Novel: 1st place, Jameson Gregg; 2nd place, Lynda Holmes; 3rd place, Rosemary Harris-Mallinson.

Membership in the Northeast Georgia Writers' club is open to anyone interested in writing. Visit www.negawriters.org.

Participants in The Longstreet Clinic's 2011 Weight Loss Challenge worked hard to drop pounds in hopes of improving their health. A little cash as motivation didn't hurt either.

On April 22, Holmes B. Marchman announced the winners of the contest, which began Jan. 27.

With 55 people on 12 teams, participants dropped 245 pounds in three months. Winners were determined by the highest percentage of body weight lost.

Employees paid $5 to participate, and TLC matched the total. Prize money was divided among the top two teams and the individual winner.

The second-place team, "Thin to Win," lost 4.58 percent of their body weight and received $165. Members were Brett Barger, Brent Mize, Mindi Canupp, Brenda Cates and Carol Larson.

The first-place team of Emily Collins and Ashley Watson, known as the "Terrible Twos," lost 7.18 percent of their body weight and won $275.

The individual winner was Larson, who lost 11.49 percent of her body weight and took home $110.

Potential benefits from wellness programs include reduced cardiovascular risk, reduction in absenteeism, enhanced employee camaraderie, elevated job satisfaction and improved corporate culture.

The Longstreet Clinic also assists other companies and organizations in launching wellness programs.

"Obesity is an epidemic and with this comes a plethora of health issues with long term and expensive consequences such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes," Marchman said. "With body weight reduction of five percent, risks for these diseases can significantly improve."

For more than six years, TLC has embarked on a Wellness Program to enhance its employees' health.