Walking event key part of physical fitness challenge / LJWorld.com

Archive for Wednesday, March 19, 2008

J-W Staff Reports

March 19, 2008

A special walk will kick off a physical fitness challenge Thursday night on the walking trail at Clinton Lake softball complex.

The walk is sponsored by the Douglas County Medical Reserve Corps. The corps is using the event as it participates in the National President's Fitness Challenge. Anyone can join corps members and walk for as long as they want between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. The walking trail runs along the western leg of the South Lawrence Trafficway.

Launched by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the fitness challenge is a six-week physical activity event that encourages all Americans to get up and move at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. A Web site has been created so local corps members can register for the challenge as a group and track their project.

"Our goal is to have Americans of all ages be more active, and what better place than to start in our own community with medical reserve corps volunteers setting the example," Kellie Worley, corps planner, said in a statement about the event.

The medical reserve corps is a group of volunteers who assist the community during a public health emergency, such as a flu epidemic or other disease outbreaks or an act of terrorism. More information is available at www.ldchealth.org/medicalreservecorps.htm or www.presidentschallenge.org.