DETROIT, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Walking is booming among Boomers. In a national survey by Harris Interactive published in 2003, Baby Boomers (the survey targeted a group of more than 1,000 adults age 44 to 56) rated walking as the number one form of exercise they plan to pursue when they retire. Can walking be good for all ages? Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are working to make the answer “yes.”
The Michigan Blues are sponsoring a second round of free WalkingWorks fitness walks led by the company’s health and fitness advocate, legendary baseball broadcaster Ernie Harwell.
“Walking is good medicine. It’s preventive -- keeping your joints oiled and your body ready to go,” Harwell said.
Harwell will lead walks scheduled for Sunday, June 27 in Detroit, Sunday, July 25 in Lansing, Sunday, Aug. 1 in Grand Rapids, Saturday, Oct. 9 in Marquette and Saturday, Oct. 30 in Frankenmuth.
The Detroit walk will start at 10:30 a.m. in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan courtyard at Congress and the I-75 service drive in downtown Detroit. Registration, warm ups, family festivities and a Harwell autograph session begin around 9 a.m.
This year the Detroit walk will end at Comerica Park just prior to pre- game festivities honoring the 1984 Tigers World Series championship team. Walkers pre-registering with the Blues before June 20 will be eligible for a $10 discount on $20 tickets to see the Tigers play the Arizona Diamondbacks. The game will have a reunion theme in honor of the 1984 World Series champions.
In the spirit of reunion, several Tiger legends and other sports greats and celebrities will join Harwell for a pre-walk pep rally in the Blues courtyard. Confirmed to date are ’84 Tigers Tom Brookens, Darrell Evans and Dave Bergman. Also joining in are former Piston and current announcer Rick Mahorn, former Lion Lem Barney, former MSU basketball great Greg Kelser and -- to help everyone get moving -- Motown legend Martha Reeves.
Additional pre-walk activities will appeal to all ages, from face painting and a visit from Tigers mascot “Paws” for children to massage therapy and Tai Chi for adults. All are free to registered walkers. People can register by phone at 1-800-733-BLUE (2583) or online at http://www.bcbsm.com/ .
This year, the WalkingWorks program features a partnership among the Blues and other major downtown organizations, such as Compuware and the Federal Executive Board, which helps coordinate activities and pool resources of federal agencies in metropolitan Detroit.
Compuware has a 38,000 square foot fitness center in its new Detroit headquarters near Gratiot and Broadway. Compuware wellness specialist Krista Snow said, “We want our employees to understand how much we value wellness. Healthy employees are productive employees and help us to use our health care resources wisely.”
Detroit Federal Executive Board Executive Director Michelle Rhodes said, “We have fitness centers, indoor and outdoor walking paths and wellness programs at several federal agencies and facilities including the IRS computing center on Michigan, the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, the FDA Detroit District office, US Army TACOM in Warren and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Some agencies offer our employees special discounts on health- related products and services. Our leadership has gone the extra mile to encourage federal workers to get and stay physically active.”
At each WalkingWorks event, Michigan Blues organizers say they hope to not only encourage Michigan residents to make walking a regular habit, but also to raise awareness of the connection between physical activity and optimum health.
A majority of Michigan adults (53 percent) reported in 2002 that they do not meet recommended levels of physical activity (30 minutes a day for five or more days a week). Nearly a quarter of Michigan adults reported that they don’t engage in any leisure time physical activity at all.
In the same year, 62 percent of Michigan adults were either overweight or obese. Michigan has the third highest rate of obesity in the nation.
A report released last year showed that the 4 million Michigan residents who are physically inactive generated costs of nearly $8.9 billion in 2002, or $1,175 for each adult. These costs are borne largely by employers -- through health insurance premiums and lost productivity -- and by the state, through Medicaid payments.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has 4.8 million members in a variety of health care benefit plans, including Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Preferred and Community Blue PPOs, Blue Choice Point of Service and Blue Care Network of Michigan.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Blue Care Network
CONTACT: Helen Stojic of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan,+1-313-225-8113
Web site: http://www.bcbsm.com/
