Albert Lea residents shared their successes of the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project with the rest of the nation Wednesday morning during what was a third live segment about the project on “Good Morning America.”

At least 40 residents braved cold, balmy temperatures to be a part of the segment, which was broadcasted live on the East Coast from the Fountain Lake Park gazebo.

Weekend anchor Kate Snow corresponded with anchor Diane Sawyer in New York during the segment and Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner was interviewed.

Residents stood behind Snow and Buettner and waved and cheered.

Snow said the Vitality Project, which set out to help people make simple changes to their lifestyles and environments, has had half of the city’s residents involved. It also exceeded the goal to add two years of life to every participant. Results show that residents who participated gained an average of 3.1 years of life expectancy.

Anchors acknowledged that there isn’t just one change that’s happened in Albert Lea that has made a difference, but a whole bunch of different initiatives.

“The key is environmental changes because we know that diets don’t work and exercise programs don’t work in the long run,” Buettner said.

He talked about cultivating friendships with healthy people and developing a personal passion.

The segment showcased a walking school bus and a walking group and reconnected with the Bob and Sue Furland family. It also included an interview with Cathy and Brian Purdie, who decided to go back to college after they attended a purpose workshop.

“It has reconnected our community in a way I never thought possible,” said Randy Kehr, executive director of the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce, on the segment.

Snow joked that when the project began in January temperatures were as low as minus 27 degrees and on Wednesday they were cold, too, around 30 degrees.

Though it was cold, residents who came to be a part of the segment still put smiles on their faces.

At the end of the segment, Buettner and Snow discussed ways to stay healthy in the winter.

Buettner noted that from September to May the sun is not strong enough to make Vitamin D in the human body, so people need to seek Vitamin D from other sources.

He said winter is also a good time to host dinner parties, which promotes socialization.

“We know that isolation kills,” he said.

When people dish up their dinner plates, they should do so before they place the plates on the table. By doing this, instead of serving the meal “family-style,” people are likely to eat less.

Buettner talked with Snow briefly about her personal longevity score on the Vitality Compass. Snow said she has a life expectancy of 96, but there are things she could change in her life to improve that number even more.

Buettner said, as a “celebrity television anchor,” Snow could probably get more sleep and decrease her stress.

Snow, who was also in town for the Vitality Project celebration on Tuesday, complimented the community for being good hosts to her during her stay.

Local Vitality Project leaders unveiled plans to continue the initiatives of the project and to develop a Vitality Center in the historic downtown.