NORDIC WALKING NEWS ITEM

Move for Health Day Beats its BC Track Record

WEDNESDAY, 30 MAY 2007

A record-breaking number of Move for Health Day participants have shown the province that men, women and children in communities throughout BC are getting more physically active.

More than 56,000 participants in 73 communities exceeded this year's target of 50,000 people getting moving on May 10. Participation numbers in BC went up by more than 60 per cent from last year's 35,000 participants, which had gone up by 300 per cent from 2005. The BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA) and its partners have taken the lead in BC to advance the World Health Organization's Move for Health Day, held annually on May 10 to promote physical activity globally.

"BCRPA is thrilled to see the increasing participation of individuals and communities in Move for Health Day events," said BCRPA Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Strutt. "We will continue to collaborate with our partners and ActNow BC to reach the provincial goal of increasing physical activity rates by 20 per cent by the year 2010."

Highlighting the nearly 200 registered events were five First Nations Chiefs' community walks, 19 local government workplace challenges and Mayors' walks, 14 community challenges, five aquafit challenges and almost 50 school challenges. Minister of State for ActNow BC Gordon Hogg joined Grade 4 students in a hip hop class at Maywood Elementary School in Burnaby, along with BC Lions' Lui Passaglia, ActionSchools! BC program manager Bryna Kopelow, school Principal Susan Montabello and BCRPA CEO Suzanne Strutt.

Communities large and small came up with creative event ideas for all ages, from community and workplace walks to Nordic walking, hiking, carpet bowling, yoga, walk to school challenges, an ice skate-a-thon and a hula hoop competition. Salmon Arm hosted a 69-person aquafit class for the Super Splash challenge. In Fort St. John schools, 2,097 students got active. Some communities, who registered for community challenges, reported high participation numbers as a result of engaging a variety of different sectors.

Move for Health Day kicks off SummerActive - a six-week national active living campaign designed to help Canadians improve their health through physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco-free living - now running until June 21. Visit www.bcrpa.bc.ca for more details.

Source:
www.ccnmatthews.com

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