(Indianola, MS) – The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center welcomes Patrick House, season 10 winner of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, on Friday, June 17, 2011 as a special guest of the Museum’s Art of Living Smart summer camp. That afternoon, the Museum will also host a reception for House at 5 p.m. The community is invited to join us in welcoming House to Indianola and hear more about his experiences as “The Biggest Loser.”

In June 2010, House was chosen as one of 20 contestants from across the country to compete for the title of season 10’s “The Biggest Loser”. During his time on The Biggest Loser Ranch in California, the 28 year-old learned that he had sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and was pre-diabetic. After six months of training, competing and losing 181 pounds and 45.3% of his body weight, House was the first Mississippian to be chosen as “The Biggest Loser” and winner of $250,000.

House said throughout the training he was fighting to have a better quality of life for himself and his family, and also wanted to give Mississippi something to celebrate. "It's a lifestyle change, not a diet anymore," said House.

He has turned his energies toward helping overweight children. House works at Mind Stream Academy, a boarding school for overweight teens in Bluffton, South Carolina. He is taking the "Pay It Forward" theme of the show to heart in his quest to help children battle obesity and come out winners.

At the B.B. King Museum, House will spend the day talking with campers about his experience on The Biggest Loser and share healthy eating tips for kids. He’ll also teach the campers fitness exercises that will help them stay active and maintain a healthy body weight.

Entering year two, the Art of Living Smart summer camp is offered to Indianola youth through Delta Health Alliance’s Indianola Promise Community summer camp program. Funding for the IPC summer camps is provided through financial support from the Office of Rural Health Policy (HRSA).

For more information, please contact Lora Bingham at lbingham@bbkingmuseum.org or 662-887-9539 ext. 224.

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