Posted on May 29, 2009

Halifax, NS –The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia announced today that it will provide election candidates with pedometers to track their steps during the final week of the election as part of the Foundation’s efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of walking. This is in addition to a three-week friendly walking challenge currently taking place among parties.

As of today, seven additional candidates have agreed to participate in the Foundation’s walking challenge: Paula Lunn, Liberal candidate for Hants West; John MacDonell, NDP candidate for Hants East; Michael MacIsaac, NDP candidate for Inverness; Myrtle Campbell, NDP candidate for Glace Bay; Wayne McKay, NDP candidate for Cape Breton South; Russell MacDonald, NDP candidate for Cape Breton North; and Ramona Jennex, NDP candidate for Kings South. They will wear a Heart&Stroke Walkabout pedometer and track their steps during the remaining days of the provincial election. Candidates will log their steps at walkaboutns.ca, where Nova Scotians can view the candidates’ progress.

“The purpose of Heart&Stroke Walkabout is to increase physical activity and support walking in our province,” said Melinda Norris, Walkabout Project Manager with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia. “Candidates – and Nova Scotians – know that election candidates have to get their feet on the streets in order to connect with voters in their communities. The step challenge is an opportunity to highlight the importance of walking, while acknowledging the amount of walking involved during an election campaign.”

This one-week initiative is separate from the three-week friendly walking challenge currently taking place among three candidates in the Halifax area. Those candidates are: Gerry Walsh, Liberal candidate in Halifax Citadel-Sable Island; Linda Power, NDP candidate in Halifax Clayton Park; and Debbie Hum, PC candidate in Halifax Clayton Park. As of May 27, these three candidates have logged more than 370,000 steps with just over a week remaining.

“We heard that there was interest among other candidates to log their steps so the Foundation decided to extend the invitation,” explained Norris. “If a candidate is just learning about this opportunity for the first time it is not too late to become involved.”

Candidates who want to track their steps for the final week of the campaign are invited to contact the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia to borrow a pedometer.  They will be asked to join the Candidates on the move walking group and log their steps through walkaboutns.ca.

Nova Scotians can also become members of Heart&Stroke Walkabout for free, and use the site to track their own steps, join groups and find walking routes.

Heart&Stroke Walkabout is led by the Foundation in partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection and the Ecology Action Centre. Walkabout is supported by Pfizer, the presenting sponsor, Nova Scotia Department of Health, Pharmasave, and Great West Life. For more information, visitwww.walkaboutns.ca.

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For more information:

Jolene Titus

Communications Manager, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia

Tel: 902 423-7682 ext. 315 | Fax: 902 492-1464 | E-mail: [email protected]

Categorized under media release, pedometer