Wellness, weight, and wealth, and more

Wellness, weight, and wealth

Thirty city workers in Ferndale, Mich., have joined together to help shrink the government—by losing more than 1,000 pounds in weight in the past year, thus saving the city an estimated $131,000 in health-care costs. The city organized the wellness program to save money, but the drive has had human benefits too. Accountant Cecile Thompson lost 99 pounds, while her husband, Bob, who has suffered two heart attacks, lost 34 pounds and saw his blood pressure drop to healthy levels. “I was ready to give up,” said the 56-year-old. “But now I have a whole new outlook on life.”

San Francisco's new superhero

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“Batkid” took San Francisco by storm last week, after city workers and residents helped make a sick child’s wish come true. Miles Scott, 5, asked the Make-A-Wish Foundation to turn him into a costumed superhero for a day, and the city pulled out all the stops to make it happen. Thousands lined the streets as Batkid foiled a bank robbery by the Riddler, rescued a damsel in distress, and saved a hostage from the Penguin. The San Francisco Chronicle even printed a fake front page celebrating his feats. The young leukemia survivor’s special day prompted a flood of donations to the foundation.

True love

When the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs played the 8–1 Denver Broncos in a highly anticipated home game last week, season ticket holder Rusty Jones was not there. He had swapped his coveted tickets in Arrowhead Stadium for a wedding ring for his fiancée, Janie Tesch. A female fan seeking tickets online offered a ring from a former marriage, and Jones used it to propose two days before the game. Missing it was no big deal, he said. “In comparison to spending a lifetime with her, it’s just a game,” he said. He wouldn’t have enjoyed it, anyway; the Broncos won, 27–17.