Several people participated in Greene County for Iowa’s Healthiest State Walk Initiative Wednesday.

About 500 Greene County Elementary students and staff kicked off the day with their one-kilometer walk around the elementary school building in Jefferson. School Nurse Mary Pedersen says the staff are great role models for students by showing them the importance of being healthy by staying active. She adds that most teachers talk to their students before and after the walk about being healthy and playing for at least 60-minutes a day, choosing healthy snacks and washing their hands frequently.

Two other community walks took place throughout the day at the Greene County Medical Center and in Grand Junction with the local Horizon’s Club. Even students and staff of the high school were encouraged to take a different mode of transportation other than driving to school.

Iowa’s Healthiest Walk Initiative is a program where Iowans are encouraged to walk at least one-kilometer on a designated day to be the country’s healthiest state.