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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.
As is tradition, every January many people set resolutions or goals for the year. A popular and reoccurring resolution seems to be one of personal fitness, weight loss or a change in diet. Finding time in our busy schedule to go to the gym or adopt a new diet trend can be challenging. The New Year symbolizes a time of change and opportunity for new beginnings. So, this January I invite Nova Scotians to adopt a new resolution and resolve to celebrate the joy of physical activity.
Physical activity comes in all forms. Whether you walk, cycle, snowshoe, use fitness equipment at a gym or at home, you can experience the social, physical and mental health benefits of being physically active. Benefits are available for the taking- regardless of body size.
When setting your goals for this year, consider focusing on having fun and finding something enjoyable to you. You will soon discover that living and eating well improves mood, alertness and quality of life.
The Heart&Stroke Walkabout™ website (www.walkaboutns.ca ) is a great way to set goals and track your progress or consider attending Zumba4Heart on February 2nd in Halifax, a Zumba dance party in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
150 minutes per week of physical activity is all you need for health benefits. How will you get your joy today?
Sincerely,
Menna MacIsaac, CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation in Nova Scotia
]]>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
]]>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 Walkabout™ [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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- 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]
The purpose of the events is to:
1) get more people in NS hiking;
2) highlight local trails and increase their use; and
3) promote Hike NS and local trail/hiking groups and other partnering organizations.
During the 2011 Fall Guided Hike series, 290 people attended 13 hikes organized locally by 11 partnering groups.
If you and your local organization can organize a hike, learn more and register your hike(s) online here: www.hikenovascotia.ca/projects/guided-hikes/ no later than AUGUST 15, 2012.
Hike Nova Scotia
]]>Heart&Stroke OneStep extra-curricular resource is free of charge to schools and is theirs to keep. Each participating school will receive enough pedometers for all their grade seven girls and a leader handbook which includes suggested activities, parental consent forms and other useful forms.
Being an extra-curricular resource, schools may use the resource however it works for them. During the Pilot phase of the project, many Junior High schools started girls clubs and walked together at lunch time. The girls appreciated having a chance to walk and talk and also learned how many steps per day they were accumulating. This resource is a great opportunity to have older students mentor younger students and lead walks and activities.
This resource has been approved by the Department of Education and communicated through each School Board. Heart and Stroke is hoping schools will find this resource a valuable tool to help support girls in junior high school to continue to be physically active while providing them a chance to connect socially as well.
To find out how to get the resource in the Junior High school in your area, you may contact Catherine Droesbeck at [email protected]
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The Heart&Stroke Walkabout 3-week campaign challenge begins Sunday, May 17 at 12 p.m. and ends Sunday, June 7 at 12 p.m. 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, will participate in the challenge.
“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. “We know an election is a busy time for all parties and it requires a lot of walking and running around throughout the day. The step challenge represents an opportunity to highlight the importance of walking and it’s presence in our daily lives while acknowledging the amount of work it takes to carry out a campaign.”
Each candidate will wear a Heart&Stroke Walkabout pedometer and track their steps daily over three weeks. Candidates will log their steps at www.walkaboutns.ca, where Nova Scotians can view their progress daily on a colourful graph.
“This is a friendly challenge to raise awareness about walking, and I encourage people to ask the participants about their steps logged,” said Melinda Norris. “Research indicates that 3 weeks can be enough time to change an old habit or to create a new habit. Being active on a regular basis is a great way to get healthy – physically and mentally – and to stay that way. This could be achieved by walking as little as 30 minutes three or four days a week. The first step, which our bold candidates are taking, is to see how active you already are in the course of your daily life.”
In addition to tracking their steps, the challenge participants will also meet with the Foundation to discuss how easy or hard it was to walk within their communities. Heart&Stroke Walkabout will provide tools to help decision-makers and citizens improve the “walk-ability” of the province’s communities, so that walking becomes the easy choice for many more Nova Scotians.
Nova Scotians can also sign up for free through Heart&Stroke Walkabout to track their own steps, join groups and find walking routes, said Norris. 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 visit www.walkaboutns.ca.
]]>The team members include: Joseph Arthur, Dartmouth; Samantha Burns, Halifax; Robert Ellis, Millbrook; Melissa Legge, Halifax; Meranda Oliver, Kingston; Brianna Smith, Parrsboro; Jonathan Smith, Glace Bay; and Sarah Warnell, Lower Sackville.
“We have a diverse and creative group, and we’re thrilled to have all of them on the team,” said Fran Dunn, Physical Activity Coordinator at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia. “The videos all provide a different perspective on walking. From using humour or fear, to literally taking us in a walk, these participants point out a number of factors that influence the choice for youth to walk and we can’t wait to work with them to find out more.”
A youth walking strategy is one of the latest components of the Foundation’s Heart&Stroke Walkabout initiative, which launched in October 2007. The contest was sponsored by CTV with support from Rogers, Aerobics First, the Lord Nelson Hotel and Acadian.
The contest was open to all youth ages 13-16 in Nova Scotia. Despite expressive interest and promotional efforts, only eight submissions were received. According to Dunn, this provides even more of an opportunity and underscores the need of action that involves youth from the beginning. “This contest was our first step to engage youth in the walking culture we’re creating. We need to understand what motivates them; do they even think walking and walkability are issues that affect their lives? We don’t know, but we have a team to help us find out. The submissions we received were incredibly thought-provoking and demonstrated time and commitment from those who participated.”
As part of the contest, YouTube viewers could also vote for their favourite submission. Over the course of the month-long contest there were over 1,000 views of the contest with many comments and votes. Members of the Heart&Stroke WalkaboutTM Youth Action Team will be outfitted with cellphones courtesy of Rogers and will receive cool clothing gear from Aerobics First. In addition, the team will get to know each other over the next couple of months as they discuss hot to get their peers walking. The team will spend two days together in Spring 2009 to help advise on the development of the walking program.
To view the winning videos, visit www.youtube.com/walkaboutns. Dunn notes that the opportunity to create your own walking message is not over. “Creating a walking culture is just beginning,” said Dunn. “We want Nova Scotians of all ages to help tell and share their walking story with us or among their friends. Post comments or videos to our YouTube channel or check out our cool viral application tool on the Heart&StrokeWalkabout website at www.walkaboutns.ca and tell us where walking takes you.”
Heart&Stroke Walkabout is a five-year physical activity initiative of the Heart&Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection, and the Ecology Action Centre. It is not a fundraising initiative. Walkabout is supported by Pfizer, the presenting sponsor, Nova Scotia Department of Health, and Pharmasave. For more information visit www.walkaboutns.ca.
Contact:
Allen McAvoy
External Relations Manager
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia
423-7682 x 321
Jolene Titus
Communications Manager
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia
423-7682 x 315
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