CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 01/28/15

Revamped, renewed Walk Georgia ready to get Georgians moving this spring

by Josie Krogh and Bridget Thompson

There’s no better way to shake off those mid-winter blues than to get outside and get moving, and University of Georgia Extension has just the thing to help motivate Georgians to get active and ready for spring.

UGA Extension will roll out a revamped version of Walk Georgia, a community physical activity program that’s already helped about 50,000 Georgians become more active. Starting Feb. 1, people can enroll in the improved Walk Georgia online program.

Previously, UGA Extension only offered Walk Georgia during 12-week sessions in the spring and fall, but a $1 million, three-year grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation has allowed for an expansion, making the program available anytime.

Additionally, the website underwent a renovation, which expanded the program’s online resources and made the website easier to use. Participants will still be able to use the website to create profiles and track their physical activity, but they also will be able to link the website to their social media accounts to share their physical activity goals, document progress and encourage other users.

“To me, the beauty of Walk Georgia is that it meets people where they are,” said Deborah Murray, associate dean for Extension and outreach in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “Because it’s a community-based program, there’s something in it for everyone."

The new website, which has been optimized for both desktop and mobile devices, will feature a blog with healthy recipes, wellness articles and information on Georgia State Parks. Along with a blog, Walk Georgia has Facebook (www.facebook.com/walkgeorgia), Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/walkga/), Twitter (twitter.com/walkga) and Instagram (instagram.com/walkgeorgia) accounts.

Georgia has one of the highest obesity rates in the nation. Walk Georgia’s goal is to combat obesity in a fun, community-building way, said program coordinator Maria Bowie. The program equips Georgians with the tools needed to be more physically active and the motivation they need to get started.

“The new Walk Georgia website can be used as a free worksite wellness program for any size business,” Bowie said. “Extension agents throughout the state plan community events and many partner with local organizations to provide participant incentives such as pedometers and T-shirts.”

Walk Georgia participants can form groups or join individually and informally compete against other groups and individuals in their communities or across the state. The program lets Georgians track their physical activity by logging each activity. The more than 70 activities included—from running and bowling to gardening and Zumba—then count toward miles.

Schools are encouraged to incorporate Walk Georgia into their curricula. The website provides math lesson plans for teachers, and students can compete against other classes within their schools.

UGA is a leading institution in fitness education, and was recently named a top 10 university for health and fitness learning by the College Factual website. Through the university-developed program, all Georgians have free access to fitness tracking and dozens of resources like strength training demonstrations, healthy recipes and lists of local fitness amenities.

For more information on Walk Georgia, see www.walkgeorgia.org

Experts/Sources:
Deborah Murray
The Walk Georgia logo was introduced in 2014.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time to spend more of the holiday with guests, taking time ahead of the day to set expectations can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. CAES News
Manage holiday stress with kindness, boundaries 11/21/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Much like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time allows you to spend more of the holiday with guests, setting expectations ahead of the celebration can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science.
UGA Extension offers mindfulness and skills training to help the incarcerated reclaim their hope. CAES News
UGA Extension offers training to help the incarcerated reclaim their hope 09/30/24 Cal Powell
A train rumbles through the heart of downtown Tennille, Georgia. The southbound train cars are loaded with kaolin, the white clay that serves as the city’s main export. Avery Franklin sets his leaf blower on the ground, takes a seat on a park bench under a pecan tree and begins telling his story. He was 19 years old the first time he went to jail. He’s 63 now, released four months ago after a lifetime of petty crime. He’s sitting 3 miles from the Washington County, Georgia, jail cell where he spent most of the last three years of his life.
Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offices across the state. CAES News
UGA sponsoring radon poster contest for Georgia students 09/13/24 Rebecca Cantrell
Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service offices across the state. Radon comes from the breakdown of uranium in granite and rocky soils, so Georgia’s wealth of granite bedrock increases the chance of household radon for its residents.
For some students, heading back to school feels like entering a pressure cooker. Parents can ease anxieties by helping their students develop strategies for handling stressful situations. CAES News
Families should make a plan to manage back-to-school stress 07/29/24 Merritt Melancon
As summer draws to an end, both students and parents need to prepare for the return to school. While a new backpack and a collection of notebooks and pens might top their to-do list, students also need to prepare emotionally, said Diane Bales, a human development specialist for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and a professor of human development and family science in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Coastal Acres CAES News
AgrAbility program offers a Georgia farm family a new path forward 07/03/24 Jordan Powers
When a half-ton bale of hay fell off a wagon in 2019, striking the back of Donald Adams’ head, the future of his family farm fell into immediate uncertainty. More than 200 head of cattle are worked on the land at Coastal Acres, a Dearing, Georgia, operation that involves intense manual labor. “Donald sustained a C5-C6 spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the neck down,” said Laura Adams, Adams’ wife and co-owner of Coastal Acres.
A Master Gardener with UGA Extension teaches a class at the GROWL Fulton County Demonstration and Teaching Garden. (Submitted photo) CAES News
Volunteers uplift statewide UGA Extension outreach programs 04/22/24 Sheri Dorn, Keri Gandy Hobbs
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension depends on thousands of volunteers who give generously to extend program impact and reach in support Extension missions. During Volunteer Appreciation Week April 21-28, UGA Extension celebrates the many volunteers who donate their time to facilitate 4-H, Master Gardener and Family and Consumer Sciences programming. Volunteers across Extension contributed over 324,200 hours in 2023, the equivalent of more than 155 full-time employees.