On May 18th, you may want to wear your walking shoes to work.
For the second year in a row, UC Wellness coordinators at all UC locations have organized "UC Walks" day. UC Walks was established in 2010 as a systemwide health and wellness event to mark National Employee Health & Fitness Day.
UC Walks specifically targets faculty and staff, though some locations are also opening the event to students.
"The idea behind UC Walks is to raise awareness for fitting 30 minutes of walking or general fitness into your day," says Trish Ratto, manager of Health*Matters at UC Berkeley and one of the event’s coordinators. "It is also a great way to build community."
Participating in UC Walks can be as simple as committing to walk at least 30 minutes during the day of the event, though many locations are organizing group walks and special events. For example, at UC Riverside Dr. Karen White, associate of the chancellor, will lead a 30-minute walk.
Up north, employees at the Office of the President are meeting at a local park for a health and wellness fair before heading off on a group walk along Oakland’s Lake Merritt.
StayWell and Kaiser Permanente, UC’s wellness program providers, are providing free t-shirts to participants at each location while supplies last.
Last year more than 3,700 faculty and staff members participated in a UC Walk event at their location.
While this is a systemwide initiative, each location will be hosting different events and celebrating in different ways; so be sure to check your campus or location's wellness website for specific details.
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