Walkers Cover 2,700 Miles in S.C. BlueCross Walk @ Lunch Day Community Events
April 26, 2012
COLUMBIA, SC – April 26, 2012 – An estimated 2,350 people took stepstoward improved health Wednesday, April 25, during four community eventsorganized by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina to celebrate thesixth annual National Walk @ Lunch Day®. The participants walked anestimated combined total of 2,785 miles – roughly the distance fromColumbia, S.C., to Portland, Ore. – during the lunchtime walks at MarionSquare in Charleston, Morgan Square in Spartanburg, the Statehouse inColumbia, and Falls Park in Greenville. Approximately 600 walkers tookpart in the Charleston walk, along with about 200 in Spartanburg, 850 inColumbia, and 700 in Greenville. In addition to the community events,many South Carolina companies sponsored lunchtime walks for theiremployees.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies created National Walk @ Lunch Dayto encourage working Americans to walk daily during their lunch breaks.Lunchtime walks are designed to fit into – not compete with – workers’busy schedules. A half hour of walking each day has significant healthbenefits, including lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke anddiabetes.
The lunch hour is a great time for people to work moderate exerciseinto their schedules, said Dr. Laura Long, BlueCross’ vice president ofclinical innovation and population health. Just 30 minutes each daycan make a big difference in a person’s health.
About BlueCross
Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., and operating in South Carolinafor more than 65 years, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is anindependent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Theonly South Carolina-owned and operated health insurance carrier,BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina comprises 47 companies involvedin health insurance services, the U.S. DoD health program and Medicarecontracts, other insurance and employee benefits services, and aphilanthropic foundation that funds programs to improve health care andaccess to health care for South Carolinians.
