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56 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | FEBRUARY 2023 TOPS This year TOPS celebrates its 75th anniversary. To keep the celebration going all year, we have put together some history of our international organization. TOPS was born around a kitchen table in 1948 when Esther S. Manz (at left) gathered with others at the Beulah Brinton Social Center in Milwaukee. Their desire was to support each other to thinner figures and better health. The idea of meeting with other dieters for mutual encouragement occurred to Esther about three years after the birth of her fifth child. She discussed the idea with a physician who encouraged her to carry it out while Esther worked to lose the "baby weight." After the Milwaukee Journal published an article about the new group, Esther recalled, "So many people showed up that we could hardly get through the crowd to our meeting room!" From the very beginning, TOPS decided that anyone who succeeded in losing a lot of weight deserved royal treatment. Within a year, TOPS crowned its first queen. Queens and kings have been crowned in every year since 1957. By the end of their second year, Esther was riding the bus to TOPS chapters all over town, carrying the TOPS scale and records in a shopping bag. "No wonder I lost weight!" she said. Soon TOPS was earning headlines everywhere and receiving letters from as far away as England. On April 9, 1951, Esther's story appeared in LIFE magazine. By then, TOPS had grown to about 2,500 members. Esther's telephone rang constantly from 6 in the morning until 11 at night. In 1955, TOPS' first Canadian chapter was chartered in Hamilton, Ontario. Esther had long dreamed of a research program to help find causes and remedies for the problems of the overweight. This dream came true with the establishment of the TOPS Club, Inc. Obesity and Metabolic Research Program. By 1971, more than 200 TOPS members had participated. These studies have expanded and continue to this day. In 1994, the Medical College of Wisconsin dedicated the TOPS Center for Obesity and Metabolic Research to recognize the $4.5 million that TOPS Club, Inc. had donated for medical research. While in-person meetings are still the heart of the organization, TOPS can now be found on most social media. In 2018, TOPS celebrated 70 years of service, having helped millions of people to take off and keep off pounds. With the support of TOPS, and our research partners in the study of the genetics of obesity, the promise for a safe, scientific way to prevent, manage, and treat obesity glows brightly. So, that's where we came from. In our local chapter, this month's "Thinner Winner" was Pauline Smith with most weight lost. Johanna Ballard was in second place. This happens with exercise, mindful eating, motivation, portion control, new recipes, and meeting attendance. Congratulations you two. You may find that a group like TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) can help you as well. We meet Tuesdays at 8:30 am in the Ballroom. For info, call Andi Henderson at (918) 497-6491. ~ Andi Henderson TOPS Club Inc. Headquarters Our Savior's Lutheran — ELCA Sunday Worship 9 am also on Facebook Live Sunday & Weekly Bible Studies 1320 W. Williams, Banning (951) 849-3343 oursaviorsbanningca.com

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