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County employees walk total of 33,433 miles
Dan Eakin/Staff Photo - From left, Holy Walkamolies team members Sardae Roberts, Lorraine Marquez and Angie Allen were introduced to the Collin County Commissioners Court on Monday afternoon. They walked 4,406.6 miles during an eight-week period for the Walk Across Texas program, during which each team together tries to walk 800 miles, the distance across Texas.
By Dan Eakin, deakin@starlocalnews.com
They didn't literally walk across Texas. But they walked that far, and farther. Some much farther.
The distance between Texarkana and El Paso is 812 miles.
Between March 4 and April 29, all 20 teams composed of eight Collin County employees each, logged 800 miles or more, and three other teams came close. Combined, the 23 teams walked 33,433 miles.
"The concept is simple," said Carrie Brazeal of the Texas AgriLife Extension Office. "Teams of eight pool their miles each week for eight weeks to see if they can walk 800 miles, the distance across Texas. Teams aren't limited to walking. Using the electronic calculator found on the website, members can convert activities such as swimming, gardening, dancing, bicycling and many others into miles."
Holy Walkamolies team members Angie Allen (captain), Lorraine Marquez and Sardae Roberts walked the most miles and were introduced to the Collin County Commissioners Court on Monday. They joined Collin County Healthcare employees and family members Dondi Allen, Tatum Allen, Jessie Owens, Kim Neal and Enrique Marquez to walk a total of 4,406.6 miles during the eight-week period.
The Soles Sisters also walked a great amount, logging 3,074.65 miles. The team, made up of employees of the tax office in McKinney, included Angelica Rodriquez (team captain), Betty Garcia, Debbie Lara, Glenda Beauchamp, Katherin Charron, Melba Moynihan, Stephanie Heller and Tina Beavers.
Brazeal said, "Along the way, participants reported losing weight, lowering cholesterol levels, having more energy, sleeping better at night, managing diabetes and blood pressure better and reducing stress levels."
Since 2002, hundreds of county employees and their family members and friends have participated in Walk Across Texas. This year, 184 employees participated.
"Everyone knows regular physical activity is important in a healthy lifestyle," Brazeal said. "Walk Across Texas provides participants the opportunity to establish the habit of regular physical activity as a result of participating in this event."
She said that the program also creates the potential for county employees to avoid or delay developing diabetes, which could result in saving more than $2 million in medical expenses.
"Teams do not work out together, although they may," she said. "Each member usually designs his or her own schedule and activity, making it easier to participate. At the same time, the team concept helps members feel a responsibility to their team."
For more information about Walk Across Texas, contact Brazeal at 972-424-1460, extension 4233, or email her at c-brazeal@tamu.edu.
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