By By Tim Cottrell
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians walked around in circles this spring to promote healthy lifestyles.
The Poarch Wellness and Activities Department promoted the "Walk Across America", during the months of March, April, and May. There were three mandatory walks, one for each month. At the first walk in March, 125 participants received a step-counter to count their steps as they walked each day over the next two months. Participants were to call in their step-count each Friday and have it converted to miles. Those miles were then totalled up at the final walk in May to see how far the participants walked across America.
According to Dana Pickern, Wellness Coordinator for the Poarch Creek Indians, the participants totalled 6,663 miles during their walks. A walk that far across America would travel clockwise starting at Poarch and make it all the way to Jefferson City, Mo., before turning back around.
Door prizes were also given out at the final mandatory walk. They were donated from Angela Sinder and Laurine Darnell of Angela &Company, and by Candi Stuckey of Wishing Well.
Prizes were given to two participants in each of the four age groups, with the exception of the youth age group. Chase Amerson's 194 miles took home first place honors for youth; Shavon Lee's 300 miles were good for first place in young adults, while Sandy Shuttlesworth managed 217 miles; Stella Rutherford won the middle-age adult group with 308 miles, while Myra King walked 208 miles; Otha Martin led the older adults with 321 miles, and Ruthie Rackard, with 161 miles, finished second.
Pickern thanks the Poarch Creek Indian Health Department and Kay Watson, Health Educator, for her help in making the Walk Across America a great success.