Whether you walk for exercise around the block, in the mall or on the treadmill, Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) will be celebrating a third year of healthy walking through its countywide walking program Walk Catawba Valley as well as the program’s kickoff for 2010 on Saturday, Feb. 6. With a theme of “Walking Our Way to Health,” Walk Catawba Valley 2010 and CVMC’s Healthy House – the program’s presenting partner – share the same important goal: helping all Catawba Valley residents become as healthy as possible.

Held from 10 a.m. through 12:00 noon, the program kickoff and celebration at the CVMC Health First Center in Valley Hills Mall will offer attendees the opportunity to learn about beneficial play with the 10 a.m. session, “Let’s Play Together,” led by Myra McDonough, Activity Specialist from CVMC’s Healthy House. Attendees can also pick up helpful meal tips at the 11 a.m. education session called “The Light and Lean Lunch Box—How to Pack a Healthy Lunch,” demonstrated by Lynn Winkler, CVMC Healthy House Coordinator. Dance demonstrations will be offered at 10:15, 10:45 and 11:15 a.m. followed by music by The Moore Brothers at 11:30 a.m. The awards ceremony will occur at 10:30 a.m.

New to the Walk Catawba Valley kickoff event are height, weight and waist measurements for children. Attendees can also take advantage of free blood pressure and body mass index screenings throughout the event.

The first 500 people to register for 2010 at the event will each receive a free T-shirt.

Walk Catawba Valley is geared to those who walk in their communities or ‘step’ through current exercise activities at local gyms, fitness centers or homes. It is an extension of the Health First Center’s popular Mallwalkers program, which is part of Walk Catawba Valley. Each Walk Catawba Valley registrant will receive a Starter Kit that includes Walk Mileage Log Sheets, Walking Tips Sheet, list of Cholesterol Screening dates and schedule of Walk Catawba Valley classes that earn participants extra “walk miles” toward the year-end total. In addition, a list of walking tracks in our area is available at the Health First Center or on the CVMC Walk Catawba web site at www.walkcatawbavalley.org.

Current Walk Catawba Valley participants who wish to participate in the 2010 program should sign up again in order to receive a 2010 program packet.

Participants can also sign up for Walk Catawba Valley at the Health First Center in the Valley Hills Mall during their business hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information about Walk Catawba Valley, please call the Health First Center at 828-485-2300 or visit the CVMC Walk Catawba Valley web site at www.walkcatawbavalley.org.

Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit, public healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. CVMC, twice recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Magnet facility, was recently named as a “Distinguished Hospital for An Outstanding InPatient Experience” by J.D. Power and Associates as well as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers.