Emporia State’s Recreation Services will unveil its two new walking routes across campus as one of 12 sites for National Walk @ Lunch Day sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. This is the 10th anniversary of the national event.
“We have developed two walking routes on campus — one is a one-mile route, the other is a two-mile route,” said Mike Wise, director of ESU Recreation Services. “National Walk @ Lunch Day is a great way to kick them off.”
The event on Wednesday, April 27, begins at noon in Union Square with a short rally. Then, participants are invited to walk the route of their choice, which will be marked by course markings. This event is open to both the campus and Emporia communities. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas will be giving away free T-shirts to the first 150 participants.
“We would love for Kansans to see National Walk @ Lunch Day as an opportunity to take the first step towards a daily walking program,” said Andrew C. Corbin, president/CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. ”I understand that people are busier now than ever before, or at least it seems like we are, but the health benefits of a brisk, 30-minute daily walk are just too good to pass up.”
Wise agreed, adding that the walking routes are part of ESU’s campus-wide wellness initiative.
“We are proud of the fact that our university recognizes the importance that wellness plays in our day-to-day lives,” Wise said. “As an institution we believe that the seven dimensions of wellness are an approach to living a healthy and balanced life by recognizing their influences on our well-being. It is important to give the entire Emporia State campus community — faculty, staff and students — access to healthy activities.”
For more on the Healthy Hornet Wellness initiative, go to http://www.emporia.edu/healthyhornet/ and keep up with Healthy Hornet Wellness news on Facebook: www.facebook.com/healthyhornetwellness/.