The number of locations and participants for the Start Somewhere Walk continues to grow.
The walk, slated for noon on Oct. 7, is the inaugural event of the Healthiest State Initiative, a plan to make Iowa the No. 1 spot by 2016.
Presently, Iowa ranks 19th.
To date, more than 58,000 Iowans have pledged to be part of the event in which people can participate by gathering to walk 1 kilometer.
Since the project was initially announced, 19 locations throughout the city have been designated walk sites, said Ann Halbur, marketing and events coordinator for Hy-Vee in Fort Dodge and a member of a local committee organizing walks in Fort Dodge.
According to Halbur, an exact number of local walkers signed up to date has not yet been determined. Committee members have set a goal of 5,000 local participants.
Fact Box
Start Somewhere Walk sites in FD
WHAT: At noon on Oct. 7, people in Fort Dodge are being asked to join one of the 1 kilometer Start Somewhere Walks being held at 16 community sites.
HOW: To be counted as part of the 5,000 walkers community organizers are hoping will participate, go to www.iowa healthieststate.com and pledge to be part of the Fort Dodge walk.
WHY: To help Fort Dodge's goal of being selected for a Blue Zone project, 10 of which will be financially supported in their goals to become healthier communities over the next five years.
WHERE: The list of sites is growing. Current locations include:
Butler Elementary School
945 S. 18th St.
Community Christian School
3058 10th Ave. N.
Cooper Elementary School
1523 N. 24th St.
Decker Truck Line Inc.
3584 Fifth Ave. S.
Duncombe Elementary School
615 N. 16th St.
Fair Oaks Middle School
416 S. 10th St.
Fort Dodge Community School District Central Office
104 S. 17th St.
Fort Dodge Regional Airport
1639 Nelson Ave.
Fort Dodge Housing Agency
700 S. 17th St.
Feelhaver Elementary School
1300 14th Ave. N.
Friendship Haven
420 Kenyon Road
Iowa Central Community College
1 Triton Circle
Marion Home
2400 Sixth Ave. N.
Phillips Middle School
1015 Fifth Ave. N.
Crossroads Mall
271 S. 25th St.
Riverside Elementary School
733 F St.
St. Edmond School
501 N. 22nd St.
FD Rec
1422 First Ave. S.
Trinity Regional Medical Center
802 Kenyon Road
Webster County Public Health Department
330 First Ave. N.
To count as part of the total, walkers must register online at www.iowahealthieststate.com.
There, they will be invited to sign the Healthiest State Initiative Pledge, which states that "I pledge to be a part of the Healthiest State Initiative and to participate in a Start Somewhere Walk in my community."
A keystone of the HSI will be the Blue Zones Project, an effort to help people transform their communities and live longer, healthier lives. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield will financially support that effort in 10 Iowa communities over the next five years. Communities chosen for that support will be selected, in part, by the number of its residents who sign up online to participate in the Start Somewhere Walks.
Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net