April 13, 2007

CONTACT: Katie F. Free, Communications & Marketing, Wallace State
Community College, 256/352-8033, katie.free@wallacestate.edu

Wallace State Employees Step Out for Wellness

Glenda Hardin, Diane Wilhite, Ann Culpepper,
Denise Elliot, Nicole Lockhart, Jennie Gurley, Dave Pylant, Pepper
Hoover and Mechelle Baker (not pictured are Angi Hargett, Shea Mobley
and Mary Wallace)

Hanceville, AL-- Several Wallace State employees participated in the
Spring Fitness Step Challenge coordinated by the Wallace State Wellness
Center. The challenge followed the Shape Up America initiative to
promote health and fitness by encouraging increased daily walking.

The Shape Up America initiative recommends adding 30 minutes of moderate
intensity activity each day in addition to daily activities to decrease
and prevent obesity.

"Some studies show that walking 10,000 steps per day is effective for
weight management," said Wallace State Wellness Center director Cynthia
Newman.

Participants in the Step Challenge tracked their number of steps taken
each day with a pedometer for eight weeks. The steps were then
converted to weekly mileage.

"It was rewarding to see progress each week as some of the participants
doubled and even quadrupled the mileage they walked between the first
week and last week of the challenge," said Newman.

Step Challenge participants include Jennie Gurley, math instructor; Dave
Pylant, biology instructor; Mechelle Baker, nursing secretary; and
nursing faculty members Deborah "Pepper" Hoover, Angi Hargett, Nicole
Lockhart, Shea Mobley, Ann Culpepper, Mary Wallace, Diane Wilhite,
Glynda Hardin, and Denise Elliot.

Jennie Gurley, Nicole Lockhart, Pepper Hoover, and
Dave Pylant (not pictured is Angi Hargett)

The top mileage achievers were Jennie Gurley with 204.5 pedometer miles,
Nicole Lockhart with 175.6 pedometer miles, Pepper Hoover with 164.6
pedometer miles, Angi Hargett with 160.2 pedometer miles, and Dave
Pylant with 116 treadmill and track miles.

"Walking is one of the safest and best activities a person can do for
cardiovascular fitness," said Newman. "These faculty and staff are
great role models for health and fitness for the campus community."

The Wallace State Wellness Center offers a variety of health and
wellness programs. For more information, contact Newman at
cynthia.newman@wallacestate.edu or Amy Linton at 256/352-8358.

  Kristen Holmes
  Director, Communications and Marketing
  Wallace State Community College
  P.O. Box 2000
  Hanceville, AL 35077
  256/352-8118
  E-mail: Kristen.Holmes@WallaceState.edu