Accept the Vitality challenge: Launch set for Saturday

Talk about it

People who live in the New Richmond School District face a new challenge over the next 12 months.

Volunteers with the new “Vitality Initiative” are encouraging everyone, from all age groups, to become a little healthier in 2011-12. Not everyone is expected to become a world-class athlete during the course of the coming year, but each V.I. backer is asked to make an effort to choose to eat better foods and to become more active.

The goal of the Vitality Initiative is to educate local residents about how to achieve better health, and to promote activities that can help people attain greater well-being.

Saturday is the kick-off for the New Richmond initiative.

To launch the community-wide effort, a free Vitality Walk is being planned for 8:15 a.m. Saturday morning, Sept. 24. The entire community is invited to participate, and to show their commitment to helping New Richmond become a healthier place.

The no-cost walk is being held in conjunction with the annual Heritage Days celebration. A more vigorous five-mile and 5K run/walk is slated for 8 a.m. for those who want more of a challenge, with a kid’s race to follow at 8:45 a.m.

There is a $15 fee for runners, $9 for walkers and $11 for kids for that annual event. Those registered will receive a shirt as part of their fee. Those registering on the day of the race will pay $19 to run, $10 for walkers and $11 for kids. If participants don’t want a shirt, they can register for just $5.

All participants, whether they are registering for the official run/walk or whether they are going on the Vitality Walk, should arrive at 7:30 a.m. to start the morning.

Prior to setting out on the walks or the run, the entire group will pose for a “community picture” that will be used in the promotion of the Vitality Initiative effort. The photo will be snapped at 7:50 a.m. sharp.

There will also be some information available about the initiative, and a few fun activities for young and old alike. There will also be information available about new community walking groups that will be forming over the next few weeks.

“Our goal is to help make the New Richmond area one of the healthiest areas in the country,” said Darian Blattner, V.I. volunteer. “We can do this by helping promote all the great things that are already going on in the community and by filling gaps by providing events and activities.”

Ultimately, Vitality Initiative supporters hope that people simply make an effort to become more active and eat smarter.

“Attend a weekly walking group, and bring a friend with you,” Blattner suggested. “Eat a little wiser, and just be more active than you currently are and get more connected to your community. That’s what we hope to see.”

For more information about the Vitality Initiative, visit the organization’s Facebook page or take a look at the vitality blog, http://vita lity.areavoices.com.

The initiative will launch its own website around Sept. 30. The address is www.nrv itality.com.

Tags: new richmond, health, vitality