2. Cooperative Extension Banner Program
Identify issue relevant to entire population: Georgia wellness
Create program for simultaneous statewide delivery
Engage communities
Change sedentary lifestyles
Reduce rates of preventable disease
Walk Georgia was created in response to our state’s growing obesity crisis by
a team of University of Georgia health and nutrition specialists, researchers and county extension agents.
In 2006, 42% of adults in Georgia reported being regularly physically active.
Regular exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and depression.
The goals of Walk Georgia are to:
Develop regular physical activity habits
Get healthier and more physically fit
Have fun!
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

3. What is Walk Georgia? Free 12-week program
Six-week registration period
Log physical activity online
Activity entered earns “miles”
Miles unlock counties
To date:
8 full sessions, 1 pilot
30,000 participants; 3.3 million miles of activity logged
widespread state adoption
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

4. Gift Coca Cola Foundation $1 Million – 3 year period
Redesign web presence
Enhance staff and infrastructure capacity
Support County Walk Georgia programs
Full time Walk Georgia Coordinator
Support staff
Technology support
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

5. Additional Goals Coca Cola Foundation
100,000 physically inactive Georgians to become more active
More notoriety for Walk Georgia/UGA Extension
Good partnership
May attract other supporters
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

6. Why should I participate?
Receive a weekly progress report.
Receive weekly Walk Georgia newsletters.
Learn about Georgia through county facts.
Receive county incentives.
Improve your physical condition.
Reduce certain health risks.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

7. Fall 2013 Session Program Dates
Registration open September 1 – Oct. 9
Log activity Sept. 1 – Nov. 23
Register at
Individuals or teams of four may participate
address required for account creation
Or team captain can register and enter activity for team members without access
Who may participate?
Anyone › Adults › Youth
Schools › Teams of four › Individuals
People who register as individuals must have an address.
Those without may join with a team, and captains with an address may register for them.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

8. County Implementation:
Form a local task force
Seek local sponsorship
Determine local competitions
Interact with local organizations
Have kickoff
Support participants
Advertise – spotlight participants
Competition development – best case scenarios (real examples), incentives – WG water bottles, t-shirts, sponsorship
Macon – school component: principal’s challenge cup - $400 award to top school (sponsor funded)
Your local Extension office has access to your county participants’ data (contact info, team and individual physical activity entries). We can assist you with the registration process should questions arise.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

9. Marketing University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
Promo – handpick items to show, discuss availability, provide URL --
Printed materials
Brochure, poster, exhibit
Online support materials
Canned invitation, letter to captains, donors, county guide, school guide, utility bill insert, fill in news story
Media support: news story, radio and television public service announcements
6 or 8 foot outdoor vinyl banners- great for use with kickoffs-
City flags-
Both the above items counties ordered directly from vendor
Windowshade exhibit- 15 produced and distributed across state-
Each county provided with a supply of printed materials
- sets of 100 brochures; sets of 25 posters; exhibit scaled for use on tabletop display
Counties can purchase incentive items directly from our preferred vendor (which helps maintain quality control and discounted volume pricing).
- water bottles, t-shirts, window clings, beach or drawstring tote bags
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

11. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

12. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

13. Special groups: Schools, senior centers, other large organizations
See group/school registration kit:
Special instructions to help with registration – from facilitator to participant
Limited mobility content
Show groups how it’s set up how we’ve helped this population use it (i.e. teacher instructions for registration).
Senior centers – activity coordinator: helps w registration and keep up with activity – county is putting in data for them and printing certificates
School initiatives – step-by-step instructions for registering classes
Special circumstances (groups, limited mobility)
There are adapted activities for those with limited mobility- these are indicated by a ‘*’ in the activity menu
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

14. Registration: Pre-survey of exercise behaviors Demographics
Account creation:
Individual
Team captain
Team members
Participants: teams and individuals
Groups: identify school and other affiliations
We have an online tutorial which walks through the registration process:
This may be downloaded at:
For PC users:
For MAC users:
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

15. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
General how-to: activity > records > map > factoids > rankings / help
Minute > steps > mile conversion
How are activity minutes converted to miles?
For the purpose of this program, a mile walked at a moderate pace is worth 2,000 steps. For every 2,000 steps that you exercise, you earn one walked mile.
Each activity has a preset amount of steps-per-minute. Using the minutes you exercise and the steps provided for that activity, a total of steps is calculated. That total is divided by 2,000 to establish your mileage.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

16. Activities Active Stretching Aerobics Badminton Basketball
Biking / Cycling
Bowling
Calisthenics
Canoeing / Kayaking
Dancing
Dynaband
Elliptical trainer
Exercise Ball
Exercise machine
Football
Frisbee / Catch
Gardening
Golf
Gymnastics
Heavy yardwork
Horseback riding
Hunting
Jump rope
Martial arts
Medicine Ball
Mowing
Pilates
Racquetball
Running
Skating
Skiing
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Volleyball
Walking
Water Activities
Water Jogging
Weight lifting
Yoga
There are many different types of activities to choose from in the physical activity log.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

17. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
Points of contact: web, newsletter, listserv, county office, help desk
Participants receive a weekly newsletter with health tips and a recipe using Georgia grown products.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

18. Post-program: Post-survey Completion certificate
Awards to leaders, local recognition
Success stories
County reporting
Competitions – unofficial, local, state
ACCG- Association County Commissioners of Georgia
School
County
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

19. Program Evaluation: ~4000 registrants per session
~3000 active participants
Who are they?
How satisfied were they?
Would they recommend this to a friend?
Walk Georgia task force reviews participant surveys and suggestions after each session
Number of people registered / participate – per session averages: 3000 / 2000
Demographics: 80% female; 80% white, 15% black; median income $65,000
Satisfaction of participants
satisfied/v satisfied : 92%
80% said they would recommend to others
The task force has continued to play a critical role- a debriefing is held after the close of each 8 week session to review program participant data and suggestions for future program enhancements.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

20. Fall 2013 Program Dates:
Registration open
Sept. 1 – Oct. 9, 2013
Log activity Sept. 1 – Nov. 23
Questions?
Contact your local Extension office at ASK-8421 or go to
Thank you for helping make Walk Georgia a success in our community!
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension