Cities compete for grant

It's Time Texas, a statewide grassroots cause that promotes healthy lifestyles, is encouraging communities across the state to join a friendly competition to see who is most dedicated to healthy living.

The goal of the Healthy Community Challenge Sept. 1–Oct. 31 is to unite and motivate both individuals and organizations to make healthy living the norm in Texas.

"The intent is to spotlight communities already doing cool stuff and to incentivize people to make healthy living a priority," said John Waterman, marketing and communications director with Active Life, the Austin-based nonprofit behind It's Time Texas.

Participants are invited to a private event in San Antonio at the end of the event, where winners are awarded trophies and a $1,000 grant to support school communities. Last year's competition, which had three size categories, was won by San Antonio, Brownsville and Pflugerville for large, medium and small groups, respectively.

This year, the competition has five categories: metro, large, medium, small and extra-small. Every city in Texas is preregistered by the event's organizers in the appropriate category. Communities compete by earning points for a variety of activities. For a community to be eligible to win, the mayor must sign a pledge to support healthy living there.

This will be the second year. Last year, 40 mayors signed up, including those of Pflugerville, Austin, Round Rock, Dallas, Fort Worth, Missouri City and Sugar Land.

For more details about the competition and how to sign up, visit www.hebcommunitychallenge.com.