media release
Posted on Sep 16, 2013
Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ is pleased to announce that four community based walkability projects will be funded this year. From motivational signage to supports for mental health consumers, there is lots of exciting work on the go!
The Pictou County Trails Association will be supported to design and install signs on their Shortline Rail Trail. This signage will communicate distance and time required to walk to destinations that are accessible through the trail. This will encourage active transportation in the area. The Argyle Municipal Recreation Department will be supported for a similar initiative. They will design and install distance and time signage to encourage active transportation between East and West Pubnico.
With assistance from Heart&Stroke Walkabout™, the Digby Area Recreation Commission is developing a Share the Road campaign to improve safety for individuals who choose to be physically active along the busy Shore Road.
Finally, a unique project from the Canadian Mental Health Association in East Hants will support mental health consumers to be active through facilitating a walking group. This is an important project given the strong link between physical activity and mental health.
Walkabout™ partners are eager to see the results of each of these valuable initiatives.
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Posted on Jan 29, 2013
We’re pumped: Heart and Stroke Foundation returns as charity partner
Ready to walk the talk? Not everyone starts running right from square one; in fact, many people become physically active through walking. That’s why United by Running is thrilled that the Heart and Stroke Foundation, through its Heart and Stroke Walkabout™ program, is returning as a charity partner in 2013 for the Sole Sisters Women’s Race.
Heart&Stroke WalkaboutTM supports Nova Scotians to walk more. The initiative includes tools and resources to support groups, workplaces and individuals. United by Runningbelieves this is a tremendous initiative to help people become more active – and we’re confident that this year’s walkers are next year’s runners.
United by Running is making it a priority to be involved with charities, particularly those that encourage active living, and the organization is excited to partner with the Walkaboutprogram to promote and encourage walking at the United by Running’s Sole Sisters race. Sole Sister’s is an untimed event where participants move at their own pace, making it a perfect event for new walkers and runners. About 10 per cent of registrants at Sole Sisters are walkers.
“The Heart and Stroke Foundation is excited to partner with community organizations and events such as Sole Sister’s Women’s Race to support and encourage active living,” said Elaine Shelton, Director of Health Promotion, Policy and Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation in Nova Scotia. “Heart disease and stroke are leading health concerns for women, and being physically active is one way to help reduce your risk and be more healthy. Programs and events that support and encourage women to be more active provide important resources to help us make positive health decisions – one step at a time.”
Registered walkers who stop by the Walkabout booth during race kit pick-up will receive a free surprise and the opportunity to learn more about the organization’s interactive website that helps individuals connect with other walkers, map out walking routes on Nova Scotian streets and track their steps.
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Posted on Oct 11, 2012
This October, HRM is challenging you to get out and get active on our trails. Whether you are presently active, or need a spark to get started, the Get Out Check it Out resource (found at www.halifax.ca/trails) will lead you to many great trails and adventures throughout the municipality.
To join the October Trail Challenge you can enter online at www.halifax.ca/trails between
October 1st – October 31st, 2012! Great prizes for individuals, families, schools and community groups. Please pass this message along to your community/school/workplace/networks!
We are so lucky in HRM to have so many places and spaces for people to get moving – especially in the outdoors!
Did you know: Most of the wonderful trails that we have in HRM were developed, and are maintained by community volunteer groups. For more information on the Halifax Regional Trails Association go to www.halifax.ca/trails
Brought to you by HRM Community and Recreation Services, HRM Trails, HRM Corporate Communications, and HRM Regional Transportation Planning
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Posted on Sep 26, 2012
All are welcome!!!
Walkabout and Hike Nova Scotia presents a walk on the Dartmouth Harbourfront Trail
Thursday October 4 12:15 pm
We will walk rain or shine. All are invited. The walk will take place on the waterfront paved trail running between both ferry terminals (1 hour return trip). Meet at the east side of the Dartmouth ferry terminal. Find the trail at www.halifax.ca/walkhikebikehrm.
RSVP is appreciated at Heart & Stroke [email protected] or call 423-7530 ext. 3347
There will be a chance to win a prize from Hike Nova Scotia and Walkabout
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Posted on Sep 19, 2012
Healthy Eating + Physical Activity = A+
SIGN UP for this webinar to learn how you, your school board and your community can support students to succeed. New evidence links healthy eating and physical activity to better academic outcomes. Register to hear the evidence and find out how you can be involved.
Sept. 26th from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
RSVP: Sherry Jarvis at [email protected]
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Posted on Jul 10, 2012
An initiative of the Planning & Design Centre’s Sustainable Transportation Task Force, Switch:Open StreetSundays is planned to be a weekly event that encourages people to enjoy their city by walking, biking, skating, dancing, and moving around their city safely and comfortably. Switch will offer the opportunity for everyone to get to many destinations on the Halifax peninsula in new and healthy way.
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Posted on May 17, 2012
REMINDER : Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ is offering Walkable Communities Grants to help organizations or groups take steps to increase walking participation. Deadline for submissions is Monday July 9th 2012.
Application
Walkable Communities Grant 2012 – Application
Categories of Grants
Infrastructure: improved accessibility or physical improvements to existing walking infrastructure to encourage Nova Scotians to walk more (e.g. signage, aesthetic features, safety, cost, scheduling)
Marketing: innovative marketing and encouragement programs (new media, community based social marketing, incentive programs etc.) that link with Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ and encourage Nova Scotians to walk more.
Advocacy: communication or other activities addressing a local issue (e.g. lack of crosswalks) or project that would promote walkability (e.g. Engaging with decision makers to advance policy change or changes in infrastructure, to create long-term change for better walkability)
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Posted on May 09, 2012
Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ announces launch of new site in time for Follow Your Farmer Contest.
For immediate release May 7, 2012
HALIFAX, NS- Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ announced the launch of their new website www.walkaboutns.ca Monday with the start of their Follow Your Farmer Contest.
Walkaboutns.ca is part of Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ a comprehensive program designed to get Nova Scotians walking. The newly designed site has improved features intended to help users track their steps and monitor their progress. Research shows that to improve your health you should add 2,000 to 3,000 steps to your routine a day. It only takes five minutes to walk about 500 steps. The site offers a social media component that allows users to message friends and colleagues, share their favourite walking stories and link up with walking groups their area.
Walking is an easy, accessible and cost-effective way to achieve the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day.
“Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ is excited to launch our new website. We hope that Nova Scotians will use the tool to help them set and achieve their own physical activity goals.” says Menna MacIsaac, CEO, Nova Scotia, Heart and Stroke Foundation.
To celebrate the launch of the site, Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ is hosting a contest in partnership with Nova Scotia Egg producers. Follow Your Farmer is an interactive contest that encourages participants to register on www.walkaboutns.ca and join the Follow Your Farmer group. Once there, users will receive daily updates from the farm about physical activity, farm life and yummy and nutritious egg recipes.
-30-
For more information:
Victoria Horne
Communications Coordinator
Heart and Stroke Foundation, Nova Scotia
423-7682 ext 3343
[email protected]
About Heart&Stroke Walkabout:
Heart&Stroke Walkabout is an initiative of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, Department of Health and Wellness and the Ecology Action Centre. Our goal is to help Nova Scotians discover the magic of walking and realize the physical and mental benefits of walking within their communities. It’s about changing the way we think about walking—putting feet back on the streets and walking back in the hearts and minds of Nova Scotians.
About Heart and Stroke Foundation:
The Heart and Stroke Foundation (heartandstroke.ca), a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living, and advocacy.
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Posted on May 07, 2012
Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ announces launch of new site in time for Follow Your Farmer Contest.
For immediate release May 7, 2012
HALIFAX, NS- Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ announced the launch of their new website www.walkaboutns.ca Monday with the start of their Follow Your Farmer Contest.
Read More »
Posted on Dec 13, 2011
Heart&Stroke Walkabout is interested in putting feet back on the streets and walking back in the hearts and minds of Nova Scotians. While physical activity is important for both males and females of all ages; Heart&Stroke Walkabout has recently branched out to support the physical activity needs of Nova Scotian girls in Grade 7.
According to a study titled Physical Activity Levels and Dietary Intake of Children and Youth (2005) only approximately 20% of females in Grade 7 met the study standard of physical activity and these results continue to drop to less than 1% of females in Grade 11 meeting the recommendations.1
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