Walk texas - Alabama Cooperative Extension System

A Fun and Flexible Fitness Program brought to you by

the Alabama Cooperative Extension System Based on a program developed by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service and the Texas A & M School of Rural Public Health

Adapted for ACES by: Suzette M. Jelinek, Ed.d Network & Marketing Specialist Adjunct Professor

Nutrition information reviewed by: Barbara Struempler, Ph.D Extension Specialist/Professor

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, material, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.

Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Implementation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11 Recruitment Packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Walk! Alabama Brochure (NEP-100.R1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Captain’s Packet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Captain’s Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Health Break Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Task Force Meeting Packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Walk! Alabama Mini-Poster (NEP-100.R2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Walk! Alabama Task Force Meeting Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Public Promotion, Recruitment, and Media Subcommittee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Kickoff Event Subcommittee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Motivation with Prizes, Incentives, and Awards Subcommittee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Recordkeeping Subcommittee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Map, Picture, and Scrapbook Subcommittee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Celebration and Awards Event Subcommittee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 County Extension Office Packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 County Extension Office Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Forms Team Members Send to Captains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Forms Captains Send to County Extension Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Materials County Extension Office Sends to State.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Certificate of Participation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31-32 Sample News Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33-34 Radio PSA Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35-36 Team Shoe Symbols for Mapping Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37-38 Appendix A — Forms To Be Ordered from ACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Individual Registration Form (NEP-100.A1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Individual Mileage Log (NEP-100.A2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Walk! Alabama Wrap-up (NEP-100.A3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Team Captain’s Log (NEP-100.A4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Success Stories (NEP-100.A5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Team Registration Form (NEP-100.A6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form (NEP-100.A7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Appendix B — Forms/Letters To Be Duplicated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Walk! Alabama Steps (NEP-100.B1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48-49 Walk! Alabama Is Ending! Letter for Team Members (NEP-100.B2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Walk! Alabama Task Force Sign-in (NEP-100.B3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Weekly County Extension Team Reports for __________ County (NEP-100.B4) . . .52 Walk! Alabama Report and Data for Analysis (NEP-100.B5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Walk! Alabama Is Ending! Letter for Captains (NEP-100.B6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Walk! Alabama School Walking Log (NEP-100.B7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Appendix C — Health Breaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Alzheimer’s Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57-60 Arthritis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61-64 Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65-67 Diabetes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68-71 Flexibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72-74 Heart Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75-78 Osteoporosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79-82 Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83-91 Preventive Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92-94 Stress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95-98 Weight Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99-102 Appendix D — Weight Management Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Sample Letter to Walk! Alabama participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104-105 Sample Media Articles/Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106-113 Weight Management Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Are You at Risk? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115-119 Counting Calories & Increasing Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120-126 Understanding the Food Guide Pyramid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127-129 Focus on the Food Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130-132 One Step at a Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133-136 Low-Fat Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137-139 Weight-Loss Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140-144 Fad Diets/Weight-Loss Supplements and Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145-147 Keeping It Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148-150 Appendix E — Health Breaks for Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 Beginning a Physical Activity Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152-158 Dressing for Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159-163 Good Eats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164-169 Don’t Hold Your Breath! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170-173 Sun Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174-178 Overheating! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179-183 Keep On Moving! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185-187

INTRODUCTION According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s 1996 Report on Physical Activity and Health, 60 percent of American adults are not physically active on a regular basis. In fact, 25 percent get no physical activity at all. Among youth 12-21, half don’t get an adequate amount of vigorous exercise. This sad state of physical inactivity is a major reason why more adults — and children — are overweight than ever before. The proven health benefits that regular exercise provides are extensive and go far beyond weight loss and weight control. Increased physical activity reduces the risk for heart disease, the nation’s leading cause of death, and helps control blood sugar for people with diabetes. It also helps control blood pressure, boosts immunity, reduces depression, and even increases life expectancy. Obviously, getting people active can have a significant impact on their overall health and wellness. With all of those benefits, why is it so difficult for us to make even moderate exercise a part of our daily routine? Experts say that changing any lifestyle habit, including physical activity level, is a process. You first have to recognize and accept that you need to take action. You then must mentally prepare to make the change, and finally, you take action. But to move from the preparation stage to the action stage, most of us need a tremendous amount of support. Walk! Alabama can provide that support and get people moving! Walk! Alabama is an eight-week program designed to get Alabamians in the habit of walking for exercise. In each county, teams made up of eight friends, families, co-workers, etc., compete to see which can log the most miles. (The goal is 850 miles; that’s the distance if you were to “walk Alabama” crosswise, from Houston County up to Lauderdale over to DeKalb down to Baldwin.) Each team’s progress is reported on a weekly basis and tracked on a state map centrally located in the county. The team that reaches the goal first and the team that logs the most total miles are the county’s top winners. The Walk! Alabama kit is designed to help you implement this fun program in your county. Although you may need to adjust the program some for your county, we ask that you not change the Individual Registration Form, Individual Mileage Log, Walk! Alabama Wrap-up, Team Captain’s Log, Team Registration Form, or Weekly County Extension Team Reports for ____________ County (found in Appendices A and B). Team captains will collect all individual forms from each team member and send them to the county Extension office. When the program ends, you and your volunteers will send everything to: Suzette Jelinek, Ed.D. Alabama Cooperative Extension System 201 Duncan Hall Auburn University, Alabama 36849-5658 The data will be analyzed and summaries will be sent to DECs. If you have questions, please call Suzette Jelinek at (334) 844-5355. 3

Implementation Guide


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Two months before Walk! Alabama is scheduled to start, begin preparation.

Action Steps

Order forms. At least one month prior to needing them, order the following from ACES (fax: 344-844-5354; phone: 334-844-2208): • Individual Registration Forms (NEP-100.A1, p.40) • Individual Mileage Logs (NEP-100.A2, p.41) • Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups (NEP-100.A3, p.42) • Team Captain’s Logs (NEP-100.A4, p.43) • Success Stories Forms (NEP-100.A5, p.44) • Team Registration Forms (NEP-100.A6, p.45) • Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Forms (NEP-100.A7, p.46)

Review “Health Breaks” material in Appendix C, pp.56-102; “Weight Management Series” in Appendix D, pp.103-150; and “Health Breaks for Youth” in Appendix E, pp.151-187. Refer to Suzette Jelinek’s introductory letter, located in the front of this kit, for information on offering these informative series to Walk! Alabama participants and other interested individuals.

Purchase scrapbook for pictures and news articles, and film for the camera. Start taking pictures at the first Task Force meeting and continue throughout program.

Try to estimate how many walkers will participate. Order forms based on the expected number of participants, plus 10 percent. You can use the masters in this kit to print more if needed. (In the first year of a similar program in Texas, the average number of teams per county was 31. The average number of participants per county was 315.)

Order rubber stamp if you do not have one. Have a stamp with your name, county office, phone and fax number ready so that you can stamp all brochures and forms. Order a size that will fit in small spaces.

Forms & Materials Needed

Read all information in the Walk! Alabama kit to become completely familiar with the program. If you have any questions, call Suzette Jelinek at 334844-5355.

Activities

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Identify organizations that might be interested in participating.

Select date, time and location for first Task Force meeting.

Assemble Recruitment Packets. Clip together one each Walk! Alabama Brochure (NEP100.R1, sample p.13), Walk! Alabama Steps (NEP100.B1, pp.48-49) and Team Registration Form (NEP100.A6, p.45). Be sure to stamp county Extension office information on each of these items. Make enough packets to give each Task Force member at least 10.

Make a list of potential Task Force members. Consider representatives from any number of areas, including: • Worksites, such as county or city government, school districts, banks and local businesses • School P.E. departments, student councils and PTAs • 4-H • Churches • Civic clubs • Hospitals, clinics, home health agencies • Seniors’ nutrition site managers • County health department • Members of local media • Local officials

Two months before Walk! Alabama is scheduled to start, begin forming a Walk! Alabama Task Force.

Copy the goals and activities description sheets for each subcommittee. Copy about 10 of each for the subcommittees to use during Task Force meeting (pp.20-25).

Copy Task Force Meeting Agenda. Make enough copies of the agenda for all Task Force members (p.19).

Copy Task Force Sign-in Sheet. (NEP-100.B3, p.51)


Activities

Action Steps

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Forming a Walk! Alabama Task Force (continued)

Action Steps

Call and then send follow-up letter to each potential Task Force member, confirming date, time, location and purpose of meeting.

Verify address and phone number for each potential Task Force member.

Ask each organization that you contact for the names of one or two people who would be good Task Force candidates.

Call the organizations you have identified as potential Task Force members and explain the Walk! Alabama program and Task Force responsibilities. Those include attending meetings, promoting the program, recruiting captains and teams, and working on one of the following subcommittees: • Public promotion, recruitment and media • Kickoff activity • Motivation with incentives and prizes • Recordkeeping • Maps, photos and scrapbook • Celebration and recognition activity at end of Walk! Alabama

Activities

You will need to stress to Task Force members at the meeting that they need to use the Recruitment Packet materials (pp.12-14) to recruit, not the Captain’s Team Packet. The Captain’s Team Packets will be given to captains by the county Extension office when they turn in their Team Registration Form.

Assemble Captain’s Team Packets. Assemble enough Captain’s Team Packets for each Task Force member to have one to use at the meeting. Each packet should include: • 1 Captain’s Responsibilities (p.15) • 8 Walk! Alabama Steps (NEP-100.B1, pp.48-49) • 1 Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form (NEP100.A7, p.46) • 8 Individual Registration Forms (NEP-100.A6, p.40) • 8 Individual Mileage Logs (NEP-100.A2, p.41) • 1 Team Captain’s Log (NEP-100.A4, p.43) • 1 Success Stories Log (NEP-100.A5, p.44) • 8 Walk! Alabama Wrap-up Forms (NEP-100.A3, p.42) • 8 Walk! Alabama is Ending! Letters for Team Members (NEP-100.B2, p.50) • 1 List of “Health Break” Topics (p.16)


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Provide all recruiters with an adequate supply of Recruitment Packets. Instruct everyone to send all completed Team Registration Forms (p.45) to you as quickly as possible so that you can send each captain a Captain’s Team Packet. Include a notice in each Captain’s Team Packet that all team members’ Individual Registration Forms and the Team TShirt/Pedometer Order form must be submitted to the county Extension office by Feb. 28. The signed responsibility waiver statement included on the Individual Registration Forms must be on file for every walker before he/she can participate.

See Kickoff Event Subcommittee goal and activities description (p.21). Kickoff celebration should be one week before Walk! Alabama starts to allow additional teams who learn about Walk! Alabama through media coverage of the Kickoff Event the opportunity to sign up.

Stress to each captain the Feb. 28 deadline.

Plan Kickoff Event.

See Task Force Meeting Agenda (p.19).

Activities

Recruit teams.

Action Steps Six weeks before Walk! Alabama start date, hold Task Force meeting.

Bring the following to the Task Force meeting: • Task Force Meeting Agendas (p.19), enough copies for all participants • 1 Task Force Sign-in Sheet (NEP-100.B3, p.51) • Walk! Alabama Mini-Posters (NEP-100.R2, sample p.18). Divide evenly among Task Force members and ask them to post these in appropriate locations to publicize Walk! Alabama. • Subcommittee goals and activities descriptions for each subcommittee (pp.20-25) • Map exhibit where teams’ mileage will be recorded. Bring extra map for the Map, Picture and Scrapbook Subcommittee for posting weekly results. • Team Recruitment Packets to give Task Force members. • Captain’s Team Packets. Bring enough for each Task Force member to have one to review. Captain’s Packets will be given to captains when they submit a completed Team Registration Form to the county Extension office. Make sure members understand that a completed Team Registration Form is needed before a captain receives a Captain’s Packet. • Camera. Have someone take pictures during the meeting.


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See Walk! Alabama Steps (NEP-100.B1, pp.4849)

Start Walk! Alabama March 4 and continue for eight weeks.

Send all team captains a Walk! Alabama Is Ending! letter (NEP-100.B6, p.54). This letter will remind captains to ask their team members to turn in the following by May 2: • Individual Mileage Logs • Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups

Week 6 or 7, remind captains to collect all forms from team members by May 2.

Walk! Alabama ends April 28.

Order certificates from ACES, enough for all Walk! Alabama participants.

Week 4, order Certificates of Participation (example, p.32).

Motivational activity (optional) is held about Week 4.

Members walk Sunday through Saturday. Members report mileage to captain each Monday. Captains report mileage to Extension office by Wednesday. Agent, secretary or volunteer records each team’s weekly total on Weekly County Extension Team Reports for ____________County (NEP-100.B4, p.52). Teams’ mileages are posted on map by Friday.

Activities

Action Steps

The Walk! Alabama Is Ending! letter from captains to their team members is in the Captain’s Packet (NEP100.B2, p.50). Captains can either send these letters or just remind members when they call in their weekly results.

See Weekly County Extension Team Reports for ____________________County (NEP-100.B4, p.52). Agents: You will use this to determine your totals for your county Celebration and Awards activity.


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By May 7, agent collects completed team packets from each captain or site coordinator.

Plan Celebration and Awards Activity.

See Celebration and Awards Activity Subcommittee goal and activities (p.25).

Agents: To determine the winning teams, use your Weekly County Extension Team Reports for _________ County (NEP-100.B4, p.52), where you, your secretary or volunteers have recorded all teams’ weekly mileage. You probably will still be collecting captains’ completed packets at the Celebration and Awards Activity and even later, so you will have to use the called-in data. Coordinate with the Celebration and Awards and the Motivation with Incentives and Prize subcommittees as needed.

Determine winners: • Team reaching goal first • Team walking most miles (cannot be same team) • Individual walking most miles • Captains turning in completed packets for their team, including all Individual Registrations, Individual Mileage Logs, Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups, and Captain’s Log with total mileage, by May 7

Add names to certificates.

Activities

Action Steps


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DECs will receive summaries for counties that participated in Walk! Alabama.

Send data to Suzette Jelinek at Auburn for analysis.

Action Steps

Send to: Suzette M. Jelinek, Ed.D. Alabama Cooperative Extension System 201 Duncan Hall Auburn University, AL 36849-5658

Send the following to Auburn: • All team packets from captains • Weekly County Extension Team Reports for _________ County (NEP-100.B4, p.52) • Walk! Alabama Report and Data for Analysis for _________ County (NEP100.B5, p.53) • Walk! Alabama School Logs (NEP-100.B7, p.55)

Activities Forms & Materials Needed

Recruitment Packet The following forms are used in recruitment: • Walk! Alabama Brochure (NEP-100.R1, sample p.13) • Walk! Alabama Steps (NEP-100.B1, pp.48-49) • Team Registration Form (NEP-100.A6, p.45)


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for breath. For most people, that’s a speed of three to five miles per hour. Remember: The faster you walk, the more fat and calories you burn.

oderate intensity is when you can walk M and carry on a conversation without gasping

ow much you walk is up to you, but health experts do recommend 30 minutes or more of at least moderate-intensity physical activity on most — and preferably all — days of the week.

H

a pair of good walking shoes.

here are no clubs to join or annual dues T to pay, and the only equipment you need is

with friends, family or pets. Plus, it’s easy, and almost everyone can do it safely, at any time, almost anywhere and in virtually any kind of weather.

alking is the ideal way to comfortably W improve your health. It can be done alone or

alking is a great sport. In fact, it’s the nation’s most popular physical fitness activity, five times more popular than jogging.

NEP-100.R1


Supported by Family Programs of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System

To find out how you can Walk! Alabama, Call your county Extension office.

The FUN route to fitness!

Accept the challenge!

Start a healthy habit!

Have fun!

Boost your spirits!

Enjoy a little friendly competition!

Get fit!

A team walking program that gets you started on the road to better health. To find out how you can Walk! Alabama, call your county Extension office. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, material, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.

NEP-100.R2

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Captain’s Packet The Captain’s Packet includes the following forms/letters: • 8 Walk! Alabama Steps (NEP-100.B, pp.48-49) • 8 Individual Registration Forms (NEP-100.A1, p.40) • 8 Individual Mileage Logs (NEP-100.A2, p.41) • 1 Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form (NEP-100.A7, p.46) • 8 Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups (NEP-100.A3, p.42) • 1 Team Captain’s Log (NEP-100.A4, p.43) • 1 Success Stories Form (NEP-100.A5, p.44) • 8 Walk! Alabama Is Ending! Letters (NEP-100.B2, p.50) • 1 Health Break Topics (p.16)


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Captain’s Responsibilities Before Walk! Alabama starts, the Captain will: • Recruit seven other walkers. • Complete the Team Registration Form and turn it in to the county Extension office. • Provide each team member with Individual Registration Form, Individual Mileage Log and Walk! Alabama Wrap-up. These forms are in the Captain’s Packet received from the Extension agent. • Submit all signed Individual Registration Forms, along with the Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form, to county Extension office by Feb. 28. Every week on Monday, the Captain will: • Collect mileage walked/pounds lost* totals from all team members, including yourself; record the total team mileage on the Team Captain’s Log. • Report your team’s mileage/pounds lost* and any success stories to the county Extension office or to your worksite coordinator. On Week 7, the Captain will: • Either by phone or using the Team Members’ Walk! Alabama Is Ending! letter in your Captain’s Packet, ask each team member to complete the Walk! Alabama Wrap-up and Individual Mileage Log and turn both in to you by May 2. Stress the importance of this deadline. • Complete these two forms for yourself also. When Walk! Alabama ends, the Captain will: • Calculate your team’s total mileage/pounds lost* for the eight weeks, and enter total on the Captain’s Log. • By May 7, send or deliver to the county Extension office or your worksite coordinator all of your team’s Individual Mileage Logs, Walk! Alabama forms, and the Captain’s Log.

* Reporting pounds lost is optional.

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“Health Break” Topics Following is a list of topics for short classes, activities and handouts that you might like to provide to your team members. • Alzheimer’s Disease • Arthritis • Cancer • Diabetes • Heart Disease • Osteoporosis • Physical Activity • Preventive Health Care • Stress • Weight Management If you are interested in receiving materials on these topics, please call the county Extension agent for more information.

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Task Force Meeting Packet • Walk! Alabama Mini-Posters (NEP-100.R2, sample p.18) • Task Force Sign-in Sheet (NEP-100.B3, p.51) • Task Force Meeting Agendas (p.19) • Public Promotion, Recruitment and Media Subcommittee (p.20) • Kickoff Event Subcommittee (p.21) • Motivation with Prizes, Incentives and Awards Subcommittee (p.22) • Recordkeeping Subcommittee (p.23) • Map, Picture and Scrapbook Subcommittee (p.24) • Celebration and Awards Subcommittee (p.25)


17

Walk! Alabama Task Force Meeting Agenda Introductions Overview of Walk! Alabama (March 4 - April 28) 1. The purpose is to encourage more people to walk for fitness. Increased physical activity helps people control their weight, feel better, lower or control their blood pressure, control their blood sugar level, prevent depression, sleep better, boost their immunity, and much more. 2. Walk! Alabama is an eight-week walking program with teams consisting of eight members (one captain and seven team members). 3. Teams compete to see which can log the most miles and be the first to reach a goal of 850 miles. That’s the approximate distance if you were to walk crisscross Alabama, from the Chattahoochee River in the southeast corner of the state, up to Pickwick Lake in Lauderdale County, then eastward to the foot of spectacular Lookout Mountain and back down to the sandy white beaches of the Gulf. 4. Team members do not have to actually walk together. They simply pool their mileage each week. Team captains will call in the total weekly mileage for the team to the county Extension office. Team mileage will be posted weekly on an Alabama map on display in a central location. 5. The team that reaches the goal first will win, as will the team that logs the most total miles. (One team may not win both.) 6. Every captain who meets the May 7 deadline after the program ends for turning in the team’s completed Individual Mileage Logs, Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups, and Team Captain’s Log will be eligible for a prize drawing at the final recognition and awards activity.

Review Recruitment Packets Review Captain’s Packets Review Walk! Alabama Steps Form subcommittees • Public Promotion, Recruiting and Media • Kickoff Activity • Motivation with Prizes, Incentives and Awards • Recordkeeping • Map, Picture and Scrapbook • Celebration and Awards Activity

Subcommittees meet Subcommittees report to entire group Set next meeting date Adjourn 19

Public Promotion, Recruitment and Media Subcommittee Goals • •

To increase participation in Walk! Alabama To promote media coverage

Activities 1. Identify and list worksites, churches, schools, public housing communities, senior nutrition sites, community colleges, 4-H clubs, civic groups and clubs from which Walk! Alabama teams might be recruited. 2. Develop strategies to contact each of these sites, and assign specific people to contact each one. 3. Make sure all Task Force members have at least 10 Recruitment Packets. 4. Identify media (county newspapers and television and radio stations) that might cover "the running story," from a pre-kickoff story through to the final recognition activity. 5. Decide when the media should be contacted, and assign someone that responsibility. 6. Work with Kickoff Event Subcommittee to make sure key activities are publicized.

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Kickoff Event Subcommittee Goal • To plan a special Kickoff Event that will attract media attention and help recruit additional teams

Activities 1. Select a special location — such as a local mall, a community center, a courthouse or a busy park — for the Kickoff activity. Choose a place that is easily accessible to the public and preferably one that already is a popular walking spot. 2. Select a place where participants can start walking at the Kickoff, if they wish. That mileage can be counted toward their first-day mileage total. 3. Set a date and time. Schedule the Kickoff Event about one week before the official start date of Walk! Alabama. 4. Decide who will secure or reserve the Kickoff site. 5. Appoint someone to find out whether a permit and/or police escorts are needed for the event. 6. Set an alternate date or plan in case of inclement weather. 7. Appoint someone to set up a booth where people can sign up to participate and obtain brochures and Team Registration Forms. 8. Coordinate with the Public Promotion, Recruitment and Media Subcommittee to ensure that the media are invited to attend the Kickoff. 9. Coordinate with the Map, Picture and Scrapbook Subcommittee for photos. 10. Appoint an individual(s) to get local merchants involved in Walk! Alabama by inviting them to attend the event and have merchandise such as walking shoes, pedometers, music tapes for walkers, etc., on display and for sale.

Suggestions 1. Do not include health screening activities –– i.e., cholesterol tests, blood glucose tests or blood pressure checks — in the Kickoff. Such screenings must be conducted by licensed medical personnel. Even then, arrangements would have to be made for an expert to be available to counsel and refer individuals with abnormal results. Because it takes several days to get the results of blood cholesterol tests, a system would have to be developed for returning the results to participants. 2. Do not test for flexibility, stamina, and strength. Too many liability problems if someone gets hurt! 3. Do include a number of walking- and health-related demonstrations, on topics such as: • The mechanics of walking for fitness and ways to reduce injury risks • Pedestrian safety • Warm-up stretches • Choosing the right shoe • Determining target heart rate • Avoiding heat exhaustion and heat stroke • Protecting against the elements and against sunburn • Using pedometers, and determining mileage by driving the route 4. Display the Walk! Alabama map on which each team’s progress will be recorded. Also, be sure to display the prizes.

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Motivation with Prizes, Incentives and Awards Subcommittee Goal • To attract and motivate participants to complete the eight-week program Activities 1. Decide on the types of prizes and awards. • Obtain prizes. 2. Decide on number of prizes. • Award prize to the team that is first to reach the 850-mile goal. • Award prize to the team that walks the most total miles. (Same team cannot win both awards.) • Award prize to the individual participant who logs the most miles. • Enter into a drawing for prizes the names of all captains turning in completed Individual Registration Forms, Individual Mileage Logs, Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups, and Captain’s Log for their entire team within two weeks after the program officially ends. 3. Create fun activities for motivating participants. 4. Make certificates to present to all participants.

Suggestions 1. Choose awards and prizes that are things people really want. • For the top award winners, a few possibilities include headset CD players, walking shoes, dinner at a nice restaurant, pedometers, movie tickets, memberships to a fitness center, recipe books or weekend trips. • Reward participants who walk a set number of miles with smaller prizes, such as water bottles or sweat bands. • Recognize everyone who participates with at least a certificate. 2. Announce what the prizes will be at the Kickoff, and remind participants about the awards throughout the eight-week Walk! Alabama program. 3. Fun activity ideas • Organize a "best legs" contest a few weeks into the program. Set up a screen that will expose only legs or post instant photo of legs on bulletin board. Have participants vote on "best legs." Award a humorous prize to the winner. • Award prize or certificates to the "senior" team –– the team with the highest total when the members’ ages are combined. • Have a "most creative team name" contest. • Have entire teams weigh themselves as a group on freight scales before beginning the program and at the end of the program. The team that has lost the most pounds wins. • Hold a healthiest, best-tasting dessert contest. • Hold a nutrition fair, with plenty of free samples and recipes. • Hold a "dirtiest walking shoe" contest.

22

Recordkeeping Subcommittee Goal •

To work with county Extension agent to document Walk! Alabama activities

Activities 1. Collect Team Registration Forms from each team captain at beginning of Walk! Alabama. 2. List each team name, team captain and team captain’s telephone number on Weekly County Extension Team Reports form so you’ll be ready for the first week when captains call in reports to county Extension office. 3. Collect weekly mileage totals called or faxed in by each team captain and record on Weekly County Extension Team Reports for your county. Captains are to call the county Extension office by Wednesday of each week with their team totals. 4. Convert weekly mileage total from each team to inches according to the map’s legend. 5. On the centrally located map(s) of Alabama, move each team’s symbol the number of inches they have walked. This should be done by Friday of each week during Walk! Alabama. 6. Call or send a letter to each captain the week before Walk! Alabama ends (end of week 6 or beginning of week 7) to remind captains to collect an Individual Mileage Log and Walk! Alabama Wrap-Up from each team member, including herself/himself. Captain should attach the Team Captain’s Log to the members’ information and send or deliver the packet to the Extension office by May 7. All team captains returning their team’s completed packet by the deadline will be eligible for a prize drawing at the final ceremony. Letter can also give team captains information on final celebration and recognition activity.

23

Map, Picture and Scrapbook Subcommittee Goal • To document activities of Walk! Alabama with a map, pictures and scrapbook

Activities 1. Make one walking/running shoe symbol (available from county Extension office) for each team that can be moved across map as mileage increases. Give each team a number, and mark it on the shoe. 2. Make a map "key" so each shoe symbol can be identified easily as belonging to a particular team. 3. Decide where to post map(s) so the most participants can check the progress of their teams’ symbols. The county Extension office is the recommended location. 4. Post map, with key and symbols for each team. 5. Take pictures of walkers, kickoff, motivational activities, maps, school groups, worksites and awards and final recognition activities. Place in scrapbook and/or make slide show for final awards and recognition activities. 6. Collect news articles about Walk! Alabama participants and activities, and place in scrapbook.

24

Celebration and Awards Activity Subcommittee Goal •

To plan and organize a final celebration of completing Walk! Alabama and provide recognition to "winners," task force members and volunteers

Activities 1. Select date and time. 2. Decide on type of event. 3. Find appropriate location. 4. Plan program, including how prizes and certificates will be awarded and who will serve as emcee. 5. Coordinate with Public Promotion, Recruitment and Media Subcommittee to make sure media will be there. 6. Coordinate with Motivation with Prizes, Incentives and Awards Subcommittee regarding awards and certificates.

Suggestions 1. Consider an event such as a picnic, a luncheon or a potluck dinner. 2. Share some of the more interesting success stories. 3. Have a lively speaker to encourage participants to continue to walk for the health of it. Speech should be short. 4. Have a slide or video show recapping Walk! Alabama; people love seeing themselves and their friends, neighbors and family. 5. Have at least a rough total of miles walked by all teams combined. Convert that to how far or how many times the county’s walkers walked across the United States (about 3,000 miles).

25

County Extension Office Packet The County Extension Office Packet includes the following: • County Extension Office Responsibilities (p.27) • Walk! Alabama Steps (NEP-100.B1, pp.48-49) • Weekly County Extension Team Reports for _________ County (NEP-100.B4, p.52) • Walk! Alabama Report and Data for Analysis for ___________ County (NEP-100.B5, p.53) • Walk! Alabama Is Ending! Letter to Captains (NEP-100.B6, p.54) • Walk! Alabama School Walking Log (NEP-100.B7, p.55)


26

County Extension Office Responsibilities The County Extension Designated Person (can be employee or volunteer) Before Walk! Alabama starts: • Receive Team Registration Forms. • Send or give a Captain’s Packet to team Captains when they turn in their Team Registration Forms. • Call team Captains, asking them to collect Individual Registration Form from each member and turn those and the Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form in to you by Feb. 28. This is important, because the registration forms contain signed consent and responsibility acknowledgment from all participants. These must be on file before individuals can participate. • Use Team Registration Forms to enter team and Captain names and phone numbers on Weekly County Extension Team Reports for your county so you will be ready when Captains call in their team mileage totals the first week. During Walk! Alabama: • Collect team mileage totals each Monday from each Captain or site coordinator by phone, e-mail, fax or mail. (On Tuesdays, contact those who did not call in by Monday at 5 p.m.) Note pounds lost if teams are tracking. Also, ask Captains for any success stories, such as feeling better, sleeping better, losing weight, or lower blood pressure. • Record answers on Weekly County Extension Team Reports for ______________ County form. Use a dated sheet of paper for success stories. • Use the map legend to convert miles each team walked to inches on the map. • Mark results on the map, and move each team’s symbol accordingly. • Place the official tracking map in the county Extension office. During Weeks 6 to 7: • Remind team Captains to ask their team members to turn in their completed Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups along with their Individual Mileage Logs by May 2. Captains have a letter in their Captain’s Packets that can be sent to team members to remind them of this. • Remind Captains to send team information, including all Individual Mileage Logs, Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups and Captain’s Log, to the county Extension office by May 7. Let them know that all Captains who get everything completed and turned in to the Extension office by the deadline will have their names placed in a prize drawing at the Celebration and Awards Activity. • Remind Captains of date, time and location of Celebration and Awards Activity. When Walk! Alabama is over: • Complete Walk! Alabama Report and Data for Analysis for ____________County. • Send this report, all team packets and Weekly County Extension Team Reports for _______________ County to: Suzette Jelinek, Ed.D. 201 Duncan Hall Auburn University, AL 36849-5658 Suzette Jelinek can be reach by phone at (334) 844-5355.

27

Forms Team Members Send to Captains Form sent in before Walk! Alabama starts: • Individual Registration Form (NEP-100.A1, p.40)

Forms sent in by May 2: • Individual Mileage Log (NEP-100.A2, p.41) • Walk! Alabama Wrap-up (NEP-100.A3, p.42)


28

Forms Captains Send To County Extension Office Forms sent in by Feb. 28: • Team Registration Form (NEP-100.A6, p.45) • Individual Registration Forms (NEP-100.A1, p.40) • Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form (NEP-100.A7, p.46)

Forms sent in by May 7: • Individual Mileage Logs (NEP-100.A2, p.41) • Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups (NEP-100.A3, p.42) • Team Captain’s Log (NEP-100.A4, p.43)


29

Materials County Extension Office Sends To State* when Walk! Alabama Ends • All team packets • Weekly County Extension Team Reports for _________ County (NEP-100.B4, p.52) • Walk! Alabama Report and Data for Analysis (NEP-100.B5, p.53) • Walk! Alabama School Walking Logs (NEP-100.B7, p.55)

* Send to: Suzette Jelinek 201 Duncan Hall Auburn University, AL 36849-5658 FAX: (334) 844-5354


30

Certificate of Participation


31

32

Date

_______________________________________

for taking giant steps toward better health and fitness with Walk! Alabama!

presented to

Certificate of Participation

Sample News Release


33

Sample News Release Contact:

(County Extension Agent) (Phone number)

For Immediate Release

GET READY TO WALK! ALABAMA MARCH 4-APRIL 28 Reduce your risk of heart disease. Lower your stress level. Control your blood pressure. Lose weight. Add years to your life. Those are some of the big benefits you can enjoy just by adding a brisk walk to your daily routine. And there’s no better time to get into that habit than now, with Walk! Alabama. Walk! Alabama is a fun, eight-week fitness program that will spark some friendly competition in (COUNTY NAME) County and in counties across the state March 4-April 28. In the program, teams of eight friends, neighbors, family members and co-workers compete to see which team can walk the most miles and be the first to reach a goal of 850 miles. That’s roughly the equivalent of walking crisscross Alabama — from the Chattahoochee River in the southeastern corner up to Pickwick Lake in Lauderdale County, then eastward to the foot of spectacular Lookout Mountain and back down to the sandy white beaches of Gulf Shores. Although team members can walk together as a group, most of them likely will choose to walk on their own. Each member keeps a log of how many miles he or she walks and reports the total to the team captain each week; the team’s total mileage is what counts. Every team’s mileage will be tracked on a weekly basis on an official Walk! Alabama map that will be posted in the (COUNTY NAME) Extension office. "Participating in Walk! Alabama is a fun and flexible way to get into the healthy habit of walking for exercise," said (FIRST NAME, LAST NAME), (COUNTY NAME) Extension agent. "Once you see how good it makes you feel, that’s all the motivation you’ll need." To participate in Walk! Alabama, get an eight-member team together, name the team, choose a team captain and fill out a registration form. Forms are available at the (COUNTY NAME) Extension office, (ADDRESS). Forms can be turned in at the Walk! Alabama kickoff celebration, to be held (DATE AND TIME) at (LOCATION). A number of activities and informative, walking-related demonstrations will be part of the kickoff. Walk! Alabama participants officially begin logging their miles March 4. The program ends April 28. For more information, call the county Extension office at (PHONE NUMBER). ###

34

Radio PSA Script


35

30-SECOND RADIO PSA WALK! ALABAMA (upbeat music, energetic voice. On last sentence, strong emphasis on "walk!") IT’S COMING, MARCH 4TH . . . YOUR CHANCE TO GET HEALTHY AND LIVE LONGER. IT’S ‘WALK! ALABAMA,’ A FUN, COMPETITIVE FITNESS PROGRAM THAT’LL GET YOU FIRED UP ABOUT WALKING FOR THE HEALTH OF IT. WITH ‘WALK! ALABAMA,’ JUST HELP YOUR TEAM LOG THE MOST MILES IN EIGHT WEEKS, AND YOU’RE THE BIG WINNER — IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. CALL YOUR COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE NOW TO GET THE DETAILS. THEN GET READY TO HIT THE ROAD TO A HEALTHIER YOU. C’MON . . . ‘WALK! ALABAMA! ###


36

Team Shoe Symbols For Mapping Progress


37

38

Appendix A Forms To Be Ordered From ACES Phone: (334) 844-2208 Fax: (334) 844-5354 Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, material, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.

39

NEP-100.A1

Individual Registration Form 1. Name: _________________________________ 2. Address: ________________________________ ________________________________________ 3. Team: __________________________________

4. County:________________ 5. Phone: _________________ 6. Age: __________________ 7. Gender (circle): M F

8. Ethnic Background (circle one): 1 Anglo 4 Hispanic

2 African-American 5 Native American

3 Asian 6 Other (specify) ______________

9. My team is made up of people in my (circle one): 1 Worksite 2 Church

3 School 4 Family

5 4-H club 6 Neighborhood

7 Community organization 8 Other (specify)_______________

10. Which of these fitness activities do you do now? (Check all that apply.) A. I do no fitness activity now. B. Walk C. Run

D. Swim E. Ride bicycle F. Other (specify) ______________________

11. How many days each week do you perform the activity(ies) checked above. A. Walk ______ days each week B. Run ______ days each week C. Swim ______ days each week

D. Ride bicycle ______ days each week E. Other activity ______ days each week

12. Write the number of minutes each day you perform the activity(ies) checked above. A. Walk ______ minutes each day B. Run ______ minutes each day C. Swim ______ minutes each day

D. Ride bicycle ______ minutes each day E. Other activity ______ minutes each day

I wish to participate voluntarily in the Walk! Alabama physical activity for the purpose of personal fitness. I understand I should have medical approval from my health care professional if I: • have any chronic health problems such as • have been told a doctor that I have high heart disease or diabetes. blood pressure. • have pains in my heart and/or chest area. • have any physical conditions or problems • feel dizzy or have spells of severe dizziness. that might require special attention in an • have a bone or joint condition, like arthritis, exercise program. that might be made worse by an exercise • am a male over 40 or a female over 50 and program. not accustomed to vigorous exercise. I agree to accept full responsibility for any injuries I may sustain while participating in this program. Signature ______________________________________

Date ___________________


40

NEP-100.A2

Individual Mileage Log Name: _______________________________ Captain’s Name: __________________________ Team Name: __________________________ Captain’s Phone Number: ___________________ Directions • Record your daily mileage on this Individual Mileage Log. • You may also record pounds lost at the end of the week, but this is optional. • Call in, fax, or e-mail your weekly total miles (and pounds lost) to your Team Captain every Monday. Also, report any successes you have had (like feeling better, sleeping better, watching less TV, etc.). • When Walk! Alabama is over, total all your miles and pounds lost. • Turn in this form along with your completed Walk! Alabama Wrap-up form to your team Captain after by May 2. Miles Walked and Pounds Lost Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Total miles each week (add numbers in column)

Total pounds lost each week

Total miles you walked during the eight weeks (add all weekly total miles in above table) Total pounds you lost during the eight weeks (add all weekly pounds lost in above table) How many minutes did you usually walk each time you walked? ___________________


41

NEP-100.A3

Walk! Alabama Wrap-up Name: ___________________________________ Team Name:______________________ Phone: ___________________________________ Directions • Fill out this form as soon as you have finished Walk! Alabama. • Send, fax, or bring this form and your Individual Mileage Log to your Team Captain by May 2. • Ask your Team Captain about date and location for the Celebration and Recognition Activity. 1. Which of these fitness activities do you do now? (Check all that apply.) A. I do no fitness activity now. B. Walk C. Run

D. Swim E. Ride bicycle F. Other (specify)________________

2. If you perform a fitness activity now, how many days each week do you do so? A. Walk ______ days each week B. Run ______ days each week C. Swim ______ days each week

D. Ride bicycle ______ days each week E. Other activity ______ days each week

3. Indicate the number of minutes each day you perform the activity(ies) checked above. A. Walk ______ minutes each day B. Run ______ minutes each day C. Swim ______ minutes each day

D. Ride bicycle ______ minutes each day E. Other activity ______ minutes each day

4. Please let us know what Walk! Alabama did for you. (Check all that apply.) A. Got me started exercising. B. Increased the amount of exercise I already was doing. C. Helped me find a group to walk with. D. Kept me going when I felt like quitting. E. Increased the time I spent with my family.

F. Increased my energy level. G. Helped me motivate my friends and/or family to walk. H. Decreased the amount of time I spent sitting and watching TV, etc. I. Helped me feel less stressed.

5. List any other benefits you realized as a result of participating in Walk! Alabama. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 6. What did you like most about Walk! Alabama? __________________________________ 7. How did you learn about Walk! Alabama? (Check all that apply.) A. Extension Service B. Friend, family, co-worker C. Newspaper

D. Radio or television E. Walk! Alabama brochure F. Other (specify) ___________________


42

NEP-100.A4

Team Captain’s Log Team Captain’s Name:_______________________ Team Name: _________________________ Team Captain’s Phone Number: ______________ County: _____________________________ Directions • Collect an Individual Registration Form from every member and yourself before walking begins, and send these to your Extension office by Feb. 28. • Record your team members’ total weekly mileage (and pounds lost, if your team chooses). • Record members’ Success Stories using the Success Stories Form. • Call in, fax, e-mail or drop off your team totals to the county Extension office by Wednesday of each week of Walk! Alabama. • In Week 7, remind your team members to finish their Individual Mileage Log and Walk! Alabama Wrap-up and, turn these in to you by May 2. Also inform them of the date, time and location for the Celebration and Awards Activity. • When Walk! Alabama is over, total the miles (and pounds lost, optional) for Weeks 1 through 8 and write the totals for your team in the bottom row and last column. • Collect an Individual Mileage Log and Walk! Alabama Wrap-up from each member and yourself. Attach your Team Captain’s Log, along with any Success Stories, and turn everything in to the county Extension office by May 7. Team Miles Walked/Pounds Lost Member names

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3 Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7 Week 8

Total Team Miles Walked (add Weekly Totals above) Total Pounds Lost by Team Members (add Weekly Totals above)


43

NEP-100.A5

Success Stories Team Name: ______________________________ County:_____________________________


44

NEP-100.A6

Team Registration Form (Teams have seven members plus a captain.) Please submit your completed form to the county Extension office. Team Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Team Captain’s Name: ___________________________________________________________ Captain’s Telephone: ______________ Address: _______________________________________ Member Team Members:

Phone

1. __________________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________________________ 4. __________________________________________________________ 5. __________________________________________________________ 6. __________________________________________________________ 7. __________________________________________________________

Team Goals: To "walk Alabama,” crisscross the entire state. To enjoy the exercise of walking, whether individually or with team members. To record the miles that you walk on your walking log. To encourage each other to start moving and keep moving. To have fun!

Dust off those walking shoes, and get ready to Walk! Alabama!


45

NEP-100.A7

Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form for ___________________(Team) WALK! ALABAMA T-SHIRTS (pre-shrunk, white with magenta/purple logo on front and 10 reasons why I walk on back.) Size

Quantity

S

________

M

________

L

________

XL

________

XXL

________

Total # Shirts

________

@ $8* each =

$__________Subtotal

PEDOMETERS Total # Pedometers ________ @ $14* each = $__________Subtotal $__________TOTAL

All checks should be made payable to: Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES). Submit Order Form and total payment to your county Extension office BY JAN 31, 2002!!!

Team captains will be notified when the T-shirts and pedometers are available for pickup at the county Extension office. *Price includes shipping & handling. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, material, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.

46a

Appendix B Forms/Letters To Be Duplicated


47

NEP-100.B1

Walk! Alabama Steps Through a modest increase in daily activity, most Americans can improve their health. Walk! Alabama is a program that persuades and motivates people of all ages to get started on making that most important change. It is a program that is simple, inexpensive and safe. All you need are a team of eight people, walking shoes and a desire to get moving. Walk! Alabama teams don’t actually walk together as a group, although they can if they so choose. Instead, team members simply pool their mileage each week for eight weeks to work toward the goal of 850 total miles. That’s the approximate distance if you were to walk crisscross Alabama. Team mileage totals will be tracked on a central map located at the county Extension office. So, dust off your walking shoes and prepare to join us in this eight-week journey across Alabama. Here are the "steps" to Walk! Alabama. 1. Form a team of eight members, name the team, and designate one member as Captain. 2. Captain will complete a Team Registration Form and deliver, mail or fax it to the county Extension office. 3. Captain will receive a Captain’s Packet and will distribute materials to team members. 4. Each team member will fill out an Individual Registration Form and return it to the Captain. (The Captain completes one, too.) Captain sends all Individual Registration Forms and the Team T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form to the county Extension office by Feb. 28. 5. All team members attend the Kickoff Event, to be held at ________________________ on _________________ at ______ a.m./p.m. 6. The official Walk! Alabama start date is March 4. The program ends April 28. 7. For tracking purposes, the starting point on the Alabama map is the southeasternmost corner of the state. The ending point is Gulf Shores. 8. Awards will be given to the team that reaches the goal first, and to the team that walks the most miles. The same team cannot win both awards. 9. The Captain and members will record their mileage on their Individual Mileage Logs from Sunday through Saturday of each week.

48

10. Members will call their weekly mileage totals in to their Captain on Monday of each week. 11. Captains will record their own and their members’ mileage on the Team Captain’s Log. They will determine the total number of miles the team walked that week and call that information in to the county Extension office weekly by Wednesday at 5 p.m. 12. Team miles will be tracked on the Alabama map posted at the county Extension office by Friday morning of each week. 13. Large worksites that have several eight-member Walk! Alabama teams should have Captains report their team totals to a site coordinator each week. The site coordinator then will call all totals in to the county Extension office. Such groups may track their own teams’ progress on a map posted at their worksite and may compete with one another, if they wish. 14. Schools and/or classes need only to report the number of students participating and total miles walked each week to their site coordinator, who will call in the totals to the Extension office. A school may track its progress on a map at the school. No registration forms or logs are required for school groups. Classes may compete with each other, or students vs. teachers, etc. 15. At the end of Walk! Alabama, each team member (Captain included) will complete the Walk! Alabama Wrap-up and turn that and their Individual Mileage Logs in to the Captain by May 2. Captains will turn in Individual Mileage Logs, Walk! Alabama Wrap-ups and their Captain’s Log to the county Extension office by May 7. Captains meeting this deadline will be eligible for a prize drawing at the Celebration and Awards Activity. 16. Recognition of winning teams will be held on _______________________ at _____ a.m./p.m. at ___________________________.


49

NEP-100.B2

Walk! Alabama Is Ending! Dear Team Members: Please send or bring to me the following completed forms by May 2. 1. Individual Mileage Log 2. Walk! Alabama Wrap-up Then, make plans to attend the Celebration and Awards Activity, which will be held __________________ at _____ a.m./p.m. at _______________________. Team and other awards will be presented at the event.

Thank you.


50

51

Address

Zip

Phone #

Fax #

e-mail


Name

Walk! Alabama Task Force Sign-in Sheet Date_________________

NEP-100.B3

TEAM CAPTAIN

TELEPHONE #

1 Mi.

2 Mi.

2 Wt.

3 Mi.

3 Wt.

4 Mi.

Mi.= Total team miles walked

1 Wt.

4 Wt.

5 Wt.

6 Mi.

6 Wt.

7 7 Mi. Wt.

8 8 Mi. Wt. TOTAL

Wt. = Total team pounds lost (if tracking)

5 Mi.

WEEKLY COUNTY EXTENSION TEAM REPORTS FOR ______________ COUNTY

NEP-100.B4


Date:_____________________

TEAM NAME

52

NEP-100.B5

Walk! Alabama Report and Data for Analysis for __________________ County Please find included the following items from our county’s Walk! Alabama program: team packets from Captains (total number) 1

Weekly County Extension Team Reports for _____________ County total miles walked total number of participants total number of teams total pounds lost (if tracked) success stories

SEND TO: Suzette Jelinek Alabama Cooperative Extension System 201 Duncan Hall Auburn University, AL 36849-5658


53

NEP-100.B6

Walk! Alabama Is Ending! Dear Captains: In your Captain’s Team Packet, you will find a Walk! Alabama Is Ending! Letter. Please send this to each of your members, or call them to remind them that they need to send or give you the following completed forms by May 2: 1. Individual Mileage Log 2. Walk! Alabama Wrap-up When you have received your team members’ forms, place your Captain’s Log on top and send or bring the entire packet to the county Extension office by May 7. All Captains turning in their completed packets by May 7 will be eligible for a prize drawing at the Celebration and Awards Activity, scheduled for ____________________ at ______ a.m./p.m. at ___________________________.

Thank you for all of your help!


54

NEP-100.B7

Walk! Alabama School Walking Log Eight-Week Summary

Directions: At the end of Walk! Alabama, please fill out this log and give it to your school’s Walk! Alabama site coordinator. If there is no coordinator at your school, please send or fax it to the county Extension office by May 7. County _______________________

City _________________________

Name of school __________________________________________________________ Teacher’s name __________________________________________________________ Grade levels (circle one):

K-3

6-8

4-5

9-12

Other ____________

How many children walked each week? (count each child only once) ______________ How many times each week did each child walk? ______________________________ How long did they walk each time? _______________ How many miles did they walk each time? _____________

Thank you for your help.


55

Walk! Alabama T-Shirt/Pedometer Order Form for ______________County WALK! ALABAMA T-SHIRTS (pre-shrunk, white with royal blue logo) Size

Quantity

S

________

M

________

L

________

XL

________

XXL

________

Total # Shirts

________

@ $8* each =

$__________Subtotal

PEDOMETERS Total # Pedometers ________ @ $14* each = $__________Subtotal $__________TOTAL

All checks should be made payable to Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES). Send order forms and total payment to:

Suzette Jelinek Alabama Cooperative Extension System 201 Duncan Hall Auburn University, AL 36849-5658

*Price includes shipping & handling. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, material, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.