ON
THE MOVE — More than 300 employees from the state Division of Criminal Justice
Services kick-off the America on the Move program with a walk in Albany. Shown
are: Jim Blake, George Millington, DCJS Director Chauncy Parker, Alyce Ashe,
Linda Wolfe, Biff Fischer and Karen Attendorn.
‘America on the Move’ available to
everyone
Walking program unites members at Criminal Justice
Services
By DEBORAH A. MILES
If you need a little motivation to walk off some extra pounds or just want to
keep your heart healthy, perhaps PEF Division 204 members at the state Division
of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) will inspire you.
More than 300 people at DCJS signed-up to be a part of a program called “America
on The Move” — an online adventure that asks people to walk 2,000 more steps
each day and eat 100 fewer calories.
Nearly all of those people kicked-off the program on May 10 as they walked and
began recording their exercise minutes around the Stuyvesant Plaza area in
Albany. They were joined by the Director of Criminal Justice Services, Chauncy
Parker.
PEF Executive Board member and Council Leader Jim Blake said the state Wellness
Group coordinated through the Department of Health, introduced the program to
the DCJS staff.
Healthy incentives
“We wanted everyone to try to up their steps, and decided it would work better
if we had a little, friendly competition,” said Blake, a data processing
supervisor. “We asked people to organize themselves into teams. Taking the
average number of steps for each group, we’ll see which group improves the most.
It doesn’t matter if you have 100 or 10 people in your group.”
The agency program will last six weeks and the winning teams will receive prizes
such as water bottles.
Blake said getting members involved was a joint mobilization effort. DCJS
received a grant to purchase pedometers for participants. PEF Division 204 and
the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) local paid for “neon chartreuse”
T-shirts that have the “America on the Move” logo on the front, and the PEF,
CSEA and agency logos on the back.
“Our goal was to get people interested and moving,” Blake said.
Walk an online trail
The program is free and you register online to participate.
To determine if you walk 2,000 more steps each day, you monitor your exercise
prior to starting the program for your base. It’s up to you to record your steps
or exercise minutes.
The online recording log can be fun. For example, you can chose to “walk” the
Louis and Clark Trail that runs through Oregon, Idaho and Montana, and see how
far you get every day. Or you can make your way along the Appalachian Trail or
Highway 50.
The nice thing about this program is you can walk in groups, with a friend or by
yourself at any time you choose.
If this has inspired you to take a trek along one of the online trails, sign-up
for free at www.americaonthemove.org.
The
Communicator June 2006
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