Hosting a Successful National Start! Walking Day National Start! Walking Day is a call-to-action for Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Your company can help your employees take the first step in becoming more active by participating. Join thousands across the nation as they wear their sneakers to work on April 16, 2008, and pledge to start a healthier lifestyle as part of this annual event. Follow this checklist to organize your National Start! Walking Day. Get your senior leaders involved. Participation from key leaders such as the CEO sends a clear signal to staff that your organization supports Start!. When senior leaders set a healthy example, employees follow. Save the date. Reserve time on your employees’ calendars for National Start! Walking Day on April 16. You can also distribute the handy Save the Date cards in this packet. Set a time during the day to hold a rally and walk. Pick the time that’s best for your company such as first thing in the morning, during lunch or as a mid-afternoon break. If your company is unable to have a rally at a specific time, challenge your employees to walk a designated distance throughout the day and have health information set up along the route. Gather a team. Recruit volunteers (maybe your Wellness Committee or your Start! Walking Program team leaders) to help plan the day and spread the word. Educate and motivate. Plan a National Start! Walking Day rally and walk for employees that includes heart-healthy activities and information. Key parts of your plan could include: • Encouraging staff to wear sneakers to work on National Start! Walking Day to show their commitment to living healthier lives. If your dress code doesn’t permit sneakers, wear Start! buttons, green shirts or pedometers. • Planning a rally in your auditorium, courtyard or other location that will kick off the all-staff walk. – Ask your CEO to address employees during the National Start! Walking Day kickoff. You can use the presentation on the resource CD for your CEO’s talking points. – Ask employees to share their success stories. If you participate in the Start! Walking Program, the Lifestyle Change Award winners can be honored. – Announce winners of the sneaker decorating contests. • Hosting a walk, led by senior leaders, inside or outside your workplace. If you have a walking path, use it! This will make employees more comfortable with using the path in the future. • Serving heart-healthy snacks at the rally location and/or along the walk route. Green apples, raisins, granola bars, bananas and popcorn are examples of heart-healthy snacks. • Screening your employees for health risks such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Ask staff of a local health facility to do this for you. • Encouraging employees to pledge to live a healthier lifestyle. This is the day that they can start taking control of their lives. Giveaways such as pedometers can ensure that employees keep up with a healthy lifestyle beyond National Start! Walking Day. You can also encourage employees to sign up for our free fitness tracker, MyStart! Online, at www.heart.org/mystartonline. It’s a great way to keep up the good work! Nationally Sponsored by: