Carroll County preps for ‘Walk Across Tennessee’ initiative

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — Walk Across Tennessee is a statewide initiative, encouraging residents to join in teams and try to walk the most miles they can over eight weeks.

Now the initiative has come to Carroll County.

“Teams report to the UT Extension office each week, and whoever reports the most amount of miles in an eight-week time frame will win,” said Lacy Yeley, family and consumer sciences agent for the University of Tennessee Carroll County Extension.

The two organizations running the program are the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Extension and Carroll County Coordinated School Health.

Both are teaming up to help fight obesity.

“This can help our physical and our emotional health,” Yeley said. “It can also help us to manage our illnesses and chronic conditions.”

“We are promoting it to all the teachers in the school system, which is a little over 400 teachers in the county,” Carroll County Coordinated School Health Director Mandy Drewry said.

Last year, the program had around 60 participants. This year, they’re looking to double that.

Each team is made up of six members, including a team captain. The miles recorded must be intentional exercise, not just routine activities.

“We are giving out prizes to the winners of the top three teams, and also the top male individual and the top female individual,” Drewry said.

Each member of the top team will win $50. Second place members will win $20 each, and third place members will win $10 each.