SAVANNAH — Volunteers from Effingham County’s 4-H program joined nearly 200 of the state’s county commissioners, officials and staff early in the morning for a wellness walk to encourage physical activity among Georgians.
The event, sponsored by University of Georgia Extension’s Walk Georgia, the Coca-Cola Foundation, Association County Commissioners of Georgia and Local Government Risk Management Services, Inc., was part of the annual ACCG conference held in Savannah.
“I love to exercise,” said Forsyth County Manager Doug Derrer. “I thought it was a good idea to get this group to walk and exercise together.”
The nearly two-mile walk started and ended on River Street. Six Effingham 4-H’ers — Marci Delcampo, Samm McDuffie, Alex Parrish, Anna Paulk, Hannah Weitman and Lexie Wells — and 4-H program assistants Faith Jaudon and Connie Rahn guided the county commissioners along the route, while holding signs with facts about obesity and physical activity.
The 4-H’ers applauded participants for setting the example of being physically active.
“They’re not just supporting people; they’re getting out there and doing what they’re supporting,” said Delcampo.
“It’s supporting in a bigger way. It helps people be more active,” Parrish said.
Commissioners received one continuing education credit for participating in the walk.
Walk Georgia, run jointly by UGA Extension and the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences, is a free, web-based program that allows Georgians to track their physical activity online and virtually “walk” the state. The program also publishes a daily blog and weekly newsletter with recipes and information on wellness and nutrition topics, health-related apps and Web sites, and state parks.
Through a $1 million, three-year gift from The Coca-Cola Foundation, Walk Georgia aims to reach 100,000 Georgians and decrease the number of physically inactive people in all of Georgia’s counties by five percent over the next few years.
For more information on the UGA Obesity Initiative, see obesity.ovpr.uga.edu.
