Telling West Virginian’s stories and providing easier access to resources like walking trackers, recipes, and research are the main goals behind the new website LiveWell West Virginia (http://livewellwv.ext.wvu.edu/).

A partnership website from the West Virginia University Extension Service and The Charleston Gazette, the site provides West Virginians with easier access to current health and wellness research and grant funding. The site also offers up recipes and blogs on topics like gardening, finances and relationships.

“Our state is consistently ranked high for risk factors associated with health and wellness,” Emily Murphy, WVU Extension Service childhood obesity prevention specialist, said. “At the same time, our state has great programs and resources to help people change their lifestyles and lower their risks for chronic disease. This site is a great resource and source of hope.”

The site also launches the first LiveWell Community Challenge: Summer Steps. Summer Steps allows individuals to track their walking by inputting their mileage into the tracking system. Participants can self-identify which county they would like their mileage to count toward.

The walking program runs from June 1 – Aug. 31. The county with the most mileage recorded at the end of the contest will be deemed a LiveWell County. The winning county will receive a sign and a walkability assessment from the WVU Extension Service Community, Economic and Workforce Development program.

Events to kick-off Summer Steps will take place in Morgantown and Charleston.

The Morgantown event begins at noon on Wed., May 23, at Knapp Hall on Beechurst Ave. Walkers will take a one mile walk on the Rail Trail to the WVU Visitor’s Resource Center where they can enjoy a healthy snack.

On Thursday, May 24, walkers will gather at Haddad Park for a healthy snack and t-shirts before walking along Kanawha Blvd. The walk begins at noon.

Site affiliates include WVU Extension Service 4-H, The West Virginia Association of Counties and West Virginia On the Move.

To visit the site, go to www.livewellwv.org. For more information on health and wellness initiatives in your community, contact your local county office of the WVU Extension Service.

—WVU—

cw 5/10/12

Check http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/ daily for the latest news from the University. Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.

CONTACT: Ann Bailey Berry
304-376-7740, ann.berry@mail.wvu.edu