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Community Corner

Weight Watchers Retirees Have 49 years' combined experience

Brighton residents Betty Amrhein and Barbara Girard honored for service at open house

Betty Amrhein and Barbara Girard have seen a lot of loss in their decades of working together.

The pair of receptionists retired from Weight Watchers in August and was honored this week for their accomplishments.

Besides countless numbers of people who've lost hundreds of pounds, healthy menus and recipes, they have seen many changes to the Weight Watchers strategy.

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Before counting points and portion sizes, digital scales and online support groups, the women, both from Brighton, followed a plan containing truly "forbidden foods." In today's dieting world, there is no such thing as forbidden, within reason.

Amrhein still has her original program from Weight Watchers in 1974.

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“Oh my goodness, the changes have been terrific,” she said.

First of all, there were no pre-paid programs at the beginning. Her first fee in 1974 was $2.50. When she first began, there weren’t nearly as many reference materials that are available today through the PointsPlus Program. Members’ attendance was tracked using tally sheets (she personally recalls six different versions). She lost 20 pounds on that program, kept it off and started working for the company in 1984.

Girard has seen at least 10 program changes with Weight Watchers in her 22 years working there, but she thinks the biggest change over time is in the variety of food you can eat.

“I remember there were a lot of no-no foods,” she said. "You’d hear members at the time asking, 'Is that food legal?'"

Girard added that using today’s program, “You can eat anything within reason.” 

The women retired Aug. 25, just two days after the grand opening of the Brighton Weight Watchers Center at 6672 Whitmore Lake Road.

They will take fond memories with them of the way people approached the scale.

“I remember this woman; every time she came to weigh in, she would strip down to her swim suit," Girard said. "She wanted to make sure there was no extra weight on that scale.”

Girard, Amrhein and others attending the open house to healthy snacks as well as a healthy, tasty dessert; the two women also received signed copies of Talk to the Mirror, Florine Mark’s book on health, relationships and reaching one’s goals.

"These women were wonderful employees, always putting members’ needs first,” said Mark, President and CEO of Weight Watchers Group in a press release announcing the open house. "They will definitely be missed.”

Clare Donovan, a Weight Watchers leader from Pinckney, said the women trained her.

“They are two of the sweetest women ever," she said.

Girard said it was an honor to be recognized with an event like this. “It’s really nice of them to take the time out of their schedule.”

Weight Watchers staff members haven’t heard the last from these ladies: they’ll be back for weekly meetings. As Amrhein explained, “It’s too much a part of my life to give it up.”

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