Twenty-nine teams and four solo walkers dusted off their walking shoes and joined in to “Walk Across Texas!” These teams and solo walkers competed with each other to see who could walk the most miles over eight weeks from September 10 – November 4, 2016.   Their goal was to walk at least 900 miles (the distance from Center to El Paso) in eight weeks.  

At the conclusion of the 8-week program, the teams and individuals walked a total of 38,159 miles with the Shelby County Steppers team walking 3,243 miles and placing first in the team category.  The Shelby County Steppers was comprised of Cynthia Howard, team captain, Sherri Felder, DeShun Gregory, Sheilah Reeves, Debbra Johnson, Ann Grant, Jennifer Gillspie, and Tara Baylor.  The second place team was “In Your Pace” with 2,812 miles walked and the third place team was “Steady Netties Sweaties” with 2,444 miles.

 Prizes were also awarded to the participant that walked the most individual miles with Debbra Johnson making it almost to El Paso with 856 miles.  2nd place top walker was Lisa Albers with 747 miles and 3rd place top walker was Randall Sanford with 584 miles.

 

Jheri-Lynn McSwain, County Extension Agent and

Debbra Johnson, Top Individual Walker

The team winning in the most unusual name category was “Buns on the Run,” team captain Anjanette Dunn.  A drawing for a membership at All Hours Gym was conducted and Cynthia Howard was the lucky winner.

Other teams competing included:  Agony of De Feet, Beer Guts & Coconuts, Bounds Insurance Agency, Chamber Power Walkers, Clines Pace Makers, Clines Raising a Little Health, Courthouse Cuties, Holy Walkamoles, Hurricanes, I Like to Move It, Kuul Pac, Kuul Walkers, Mt. Gillion Steppers, Pavement Pounders, Philippians 4:13, Red Hot Chili Steppers, Striders, Walkers & Trash Talkers, Sassy Strollers, Sugar Shakers, The Orange Kuulaids, The Walkie Talkies, Too Inspired to be Tired, Tyson Center Team 1, Tyson Center Team 2, and Walk Steady.

A special thanks to All Hours Gym for sponsoring the grand prize in this event and the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Health Fair Committee for partnering with AgriLife to make this program a huge success.  We are already working on the next Walk Across Texas event for 2017!

Walk Across Texas, sponsored by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is a fun, flexible, and FREE way to encourage people to exercise.  For more information on wellness programs, call Jheri-Lynn McSwain, CEA-FCS at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Shelby County at 936-598-7744 or email at jlmcswain@ag.tamu.edu.