Despite suffering from knee issues, the 55-year-old Saginaw Chippewa Tribe member spent Friday participating in a 400-meter walk, a softball throwing competition and an archery competition.

Almost 600 participants from 10 Native American tribes from across the state met in Mount Pleasant on July 22 for the 29th annual Michigan Indian Family Olympics.

“We signed the kids up for the marathon last year. They encouraged me to try to walk with them. After a while, we just kept going,” Pamp said. “Instead of coming home and falling down, we plan what type of moving we’d do tomorrow. I feel like I have my life back. My kids feel like they have their mom back.”

Sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and hosted by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, the games were held at Central Michigan University’s Lyle Bennett Outdoor Track and Field Complex.

Check out the entire photo gallery from the event HERE.

The Tribe to Tribe Blues Community challenge inspired the tribal teams to log more than 92,500 miles of physical activity as part of an nine-week fitness competition.

The games included archery, lacrosse speed shot challenge, an obstacle course, basketball shot contests, golf competitions and more.

“It's great to increase awareness of healthy lifestyles in a public environment,” said said Shelley Dufort, senior community liaison for Blue Cross Blue Shield. “People are more prone to get out and moving when there’s a support system. I think the incentives we offer make it fun to do something people aren’t prone to do on their own.”

According to the Native American Research Centers for Health, Native American populations have higher incidences of cardiovascular disease, obesity, respiratory issues, HIV/AIDS, mental health concerns and substance abuse than the general population.

The event press release stated the annual competition motivates Michigan’s tribal communities to rally around a common goal: adopting a healthier lifestyle.

The Tribe to Tribe Blues Community challenge had teams walk an equivalent of 3,534 completed marathons in the last eight weeks.

“My children and I have all lost 20 to 80 pounds," Pamp said. "My 17-year-old had high blood pressure that we had to monitor, but we don’t have to do that anymore. Last Christmas was the year of scooters for gifts. This year is bikes. This has totally changed our lives.”

Nearly 80 children walked the the final mile of the #MIKidsCan Tribe to Tribe Marathon, a program encouraging kids to log a total of 26.2 miles of physical activity over a eight-week period leading up to the games. The kids had logged a total 25.2 miles prior to the event before completing the marathon’s last mile as a community.

“Not only does the event bring together the tribal community in health and wellness in a family environment,” Dufort said. “It also helps a sponsor like Blue Cross Blue Shield be able to promote further healthy living.”

The Michigan Indian Family Olympics included a ceremony announcing the winners of the annual nine-week Tribe to Tribe Blues Community Challenge, a wellness competition sponsored by Blue Cross. The winning tribe was determined by team members logging the most miles of physical activity throughout the challenge.Participating tribes received a total of $13,500 in grants to support health and wellness programs in their communities. The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Community logged the highest number of miles of physical activity this year and will be using their winnings to build a fitness part in their community.