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Grab Your Sneakers for First Systemwide UC Walks Day
Ioana Patringenaru | May 17, 2010
This Wednesday, as you head out the door for work, remember to grab your sneakers and a water bottle.
In celebration of National Employee Health and Fitness Day, UC San Diego will host a health and fitness fair of sorts on the Sun God lawn, including guided walks and a light jog through the campus’ eucalyptus grove. The event is part of a UC-wide celebration billed as UC Walks Day, organized by UC wellness coordinators at all 10 campuses. UC Walks will be the first systemwide health and wellness event targeted specifically for faculty and staff members.
UC San Diego officials want to promote health and wellness for everyone, said Jonna Haupu, coordinator of the campus’ FitWell program. “We want everyone to get out there and find out what resources are available,” she said.
The fair will showcase campuswide services, including Recreation, Housing, Dining and Hospitality and the Walk UCSD program. Nearly 3,000 faculty, staff members and students have signed up to walk and collect incentives as part of the program, Haupu said. The fair will also highlight resources specifically targeted at students, such as the Wellness Center, and to staff, such as programs available through Kaiser Permanente and UC’s StayWell initiative.
To encourage participation, the event will provide free giveaways. Visit tables for three programs, collect a ticket at each one of them and you’ll get a free T-shirt. Some programs will also give out health bars and juices.
Chancellor Marye Anne Fox during a UCSD Walks event.
In addition, participants will be able to take guided walks along the Sun God path every half an hour. At 11:45 a.m., the more ambitious will be able to take part in a Discover the Trails jog led by Nancy Wahlig, director of the campus’ Sexual Assault & Violence Prevention Resource Center.
“On a campus, students, faculty and staff are equally important,” said Amanda Chavez, UCSD’s work-life program coordinator. “The closer we are with wellness, the better we’ll be as students learning, as employees teaching or doing research or serving the campus.”
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