Valley Mayors Can Earn Up to $1,000 for Their Towns in October Walking Challenge

DRIGGS — All three Teton County mayors, Sue Muncaster of Victor, August Christensen of Driggs and Brent Schindler of Tetonia, have signed up for this year's Mayor's Walking Challenge, which pays cities whose mayors hit step goals in October.

The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health runs the challenge and announced this year's field on Oct. 1. The foundation said about 123 mayors registered statewide, including 46 taking part for the first time, and that mayors from 43 of Idaho's 44 counties are walking. The Teton County mayors are among 40 on the list from Eastern Idaho.

"We knew there would be a lot of new mayors across Idaho this year, so it's especially fun to see so many of them jump right in," foundation program officer Lisa Bearg said in the announcement. "When mayors get out and walk in their communities, they're not just taking care of their own health. They're showing that being active can be part of everyday community life."

Mayors track their steps with a smartphone app or an activity tracker. A mayor who walks 165,000 steps in October, a little over 5,000 a day, earns $500 in grant money for the city. Walking 310,000 steps, about 10,000 a day, earns $1,000. The challenge also rewards mayors for walking with schoolchildren or seniors, walking with other mayors, or walking in a Halloween costume.

The challenge has returned more than $800,000 to Idaho cities over the past 13 years. Cities have used the money for playgrounds, park amenities, physical education equipment for schools and scholarships for youth programs.

"One of the things we love about this challenge is that it gets mayors out into places and around the people they serve," Bearg said.

The challenge runs through Oct. 31.

Sources

• Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health: Mayor's Walking Challenge