Virtual Walk
Get Moving Kern's Virtual Walk Across America
from Bakersfield, California to Bangor, Maine
was
Sponsored by Mercy Hospital's of
Bakersfield
Why
Walking?…What a better way to get moving! Walking is good for your mind,
body and spirit. Get Moving Kern seeks to inspire residents of Kern
County to Get Moving!
2006-2007
Virtual Walking Program at a Glance
Target
Population:
Program
Format:
-
Bakersfield, California to Bangor, Maine:
(Route included 14 cities that started
with the letter ‘B’ including Bakersfield and Bangor)
-
Individuals or groups tracked their progress on walking logs and reported it
to the Virtual Walk Across
America Coordinator
-
Two
six month competition cycles were held
-
April 2006 – September 2006
-
October 2006 – April 2007
What
GMK Walking Program Participants Received:
-
Walking Kit: How to’s, Program Outline & Walking Routes
-
Walking Tools: Pedometers, T-Shirts & Water Bottles
-
Participation Incentives: Prizes for miles walked and
miles averaged per
team
Final
Results of GMK’s Virtual Walk Across America:
- A total of 22 teams participated
- 211 individuals made up those teams
- Four individuals walked on their own
- A total of 68,356.84 miles were walked by all teams
- On average, each participant walked 325 miles
- Collectively, our teams crossed the United States of America 24
times!!
How to Get Started with Your Own Virtual Walk:
- Organize a walk committee and choose a route (it can be across
America, around California, around Kern County or where ever you choose
in the world).
- Recruit team captains and members for each team
- Register the team and each individual member of the team with the
event coordinator
- Individual team members send the team captain all miles from their
individual walking log for a week
- Team captains used the team walking log to track total TEAM miles
weekly
- Captains sent in their team’s walking log by the following Tuesday
of each week to the ‘event coordinator’
- Keep your team motivated by
having group activity events several times during the time frame and
offer incentive awards to top teams and individuals
Here’s
an Idea for Schools!
- Organize teams according to classroom/grade level
- Children can walk a designated area set up on the school grounds (¼
or ½ mile course on the playground)
- Have each student write their name on a 4 x 6 inch card. Laminate
all the cards and punch a hole at the small end. Use yarn to make a
loop so the child can hang the card around their neck when walking. A
volunteer / parent can punch a hole in the card each time a students
completes one lap….easiest way to keep track of total miles for the
week/month, etc. (Calculations can be used as a supplement in MATH)
- Teachers/students can choose a ‘virtual route’ that includes the
GEOGRAPHIC area you are studying in the classroom
- Classrooms can compete against others of similar age
- Schools can also compete against other schools in the district
- The most important thing – students and teachers should HAVE FUN
while WALKING
- Walking can be a part of the required PE minutes
- Health benefits of walking can be used as HEALTH EDUCATION lessons
SAMPLES:
Questions and
Answers
Miles Across America (route)
Team Captain Information
Taking The First Step brochure
Registration Form
Walking
Log
Walking Programs Fact Sheet
|
|
