The following Family & Consumer Sciences article printed in the Oldham Era.

Oldham County Wins Challenge Walk

On Saturday, September 15, more than 400 people (and multiple four-legged friends) in seven counties faced off in the 2018 Kentucky County Challenge Walk, the seventh annual wellness walk competition. Each year, the Kentucky Coalition for Healthy Communities (KCHC) awards a traveling trophy to the county that records the most steps.

Over 1.3 million steps (about 650 miles) were recorded from the walks in Barren, Bullitt, Henry, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble Counties. Oldham County won this year’s Challenge Walk with 534,605 steps recorded by 104 walkers.

Oldham County’s Challenge Walk took place at The Maples in Crestwood. The Coalition for a Healthy Oldham County – of which the Oldham County Cooperative Extension Service and Oldham County Health Department are both members – gave out pedometers to all participants and awarded medals to walkers reaching the highest number of steps in their age categories. The pedometers and medals were provided by KCHC. The Oldham County Public Library hosted a booth from which walkers could check out audio books to listen to during the walk.

This is the third year that Oldham County has participated in the challenge and the second time taking home the traveling trophy. Oldham County last won in 2016 with just under 50 walkers taking 251,188 steps. Oldham County’s number of participants and total steps more than doubled from 2016 to 2018.

Eight-year-old Sophia, of La Grange, said, “I had fun walking with my mommy and my little brother and my aunt. I even got to walk a dog!”

Educational programs of KY Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

Written by Lauren Fernandez, Oldham County Extension Staff Assistant. Reviewed by Chris Duncan, Oldham County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent.