TOPS club crowns a queen

By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Kay Tajchman of Marion, one of two members who reached weight-loss goals in 2022, was crowned 2022 queen of the Marion Take Off Pounds Sensibly chapter Thursday meeting.

“I knew I needed to lose some weight,” she said. “Some of my pool friends had joined TOPS, and I thought it could be fun.”

Tajchman joined the chapter March 24 at 171.2 pounds. She switched to Keep Off Pounds Sensible on June 23, with a loss of 23.2 pounds. She lowered her goal from 155 pounds to 150 Oct. 13 and has stayed below that weight since.

Tajchman feels better and thinks she looks better.

“It’s nice to wear some clothes that I haven’t been able to wear for a while,” she said. “It’s like having a new wardrobe. And I have more energy to play with the grandkids.”

Wilma “Jeanie” Klaassen of Hillsboro switched to KOPS status May 5 after reaching her weight goal of 140 pounds.

She joined TOPS Oct. 14, 2021, at a weight of 153.2 pounds. Her weight loss was slow but steady, as she usually lost less than a pound from one meeting to the next.

A water aerobics friend invited her to join.

“My clothes didn’t fit, and I didn’t like the way I looked,” she said.

Her clothing size has dropped from 14 to 10 or 12.

“I feel better about myself,” she said.

The chapter meets at 9:30 a.m. Thursdays in the activity center at Hilltop Manor, 1501 E. Lawrence St., Marion.