Honoring a Champ: Rita Romine Keeps Healthy Living a Lifelong Pursuit

Rita Romine, Wellness Champ and executive administrative assistant for Corporate Communications. Photo by Ken Drenten.

This is one of an ongoing series of articles about Wellness Champions, “Honoring a Champ,” focusing on AEP employees who are not only engaged in their own well-being, but have also volunteered to support employee health and well-being across the system. The purpose of this series is to allow employees to get to know each other better, and to encourage an ongoing conversation about health and well-being among employees. This story focuses on Rita Romine, executive administrative assistant in Corporate Communications at AEP Headquarters. Rita will have worked for AEP 40 years as of August 22.

Q: Why do you value good health?

A: Good health keeps you happy and alive!

Q: What motivates you to be a Wellness Champion?

A: To instill good healthy behavior with my co-workers, and to lead by example.

Q: Share a few tips that help you live a healthier lifestyle.

A: Healthy living is my number-one goal. Build workouts and meal planning into your everyday schedule.

Q: What is your biggest challenge related to keeping yourself as healthy as possible?

A: Getting my workouts in during the day. My goal is five days a week, but three is OK. Oh, did I say age? 🙂

Q: What is your favorite healthy food?

A: Fruits and vegetables of all kinds and prepared in many different ways.

Rita Romine, shown second from right (leaning against tree), competed in a bicycle race with some of her AEP co-workers that raised funds for the March of Dimes in 1978 or 1979. She won the race and a new bicycle. AEP file photo

Q: What is your favorite exercise or fitness activity that you do on a regular basis?

A: Right now, it is the rowing machine. I find that it provides good exercise for about every part of my body. I still get in cardio and upper body weights.

Q: Can you share any personal, meaningful accomplishments related to your health and well-being?

A: Good question. I’m fortunate at the age of 60 to be able to look back many years, and since an early age, I was actively building a healthy lifestyle. I have many memories from when I was a child/teen/adult of being outdoors playing softball, riding bicycles, hiking, climbing rocks in the Hocking Hills, playing tennis and racquetball, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking/canoeing and gardening. I do many of these activities still to this day. The goal is to stay focused on your health and be active. My 86-year-old mom says to keep moving and don’t sit too long!

I was lucky that I lived in a home where no one smoked tobacco. So that example was already in place.

I have participated in many races (running and bicycle), mostly through AEP activities and sponsorships. Some of these include charity walks/rides, corporate challenges and corporate softball games. But one event early in my life that I remember was at eighth grade summer camp, where the girls and boys competed separately in the same sports — running dashes and relays, jumping, rope climbing, etc. — and we accumulated points. All the activities were the same, but I just competed against the girls. I accumulated the most points overall, including the boys. I was embarrassed!

So building this active and healthy lifestyle from an early age gives you an advantage of staying healthy.

I don’t run in races anymore, but I do continue to have the same kind of competitive attitude toward my health and well-being, like counting steps and keeping track of what I eat.