Snow in April postponed the fourth annual Dallas County Hospital Foundation and Live Healthy Iowa five-kilometer walk and run, so Saturday’s cloudy skies and mid-40-degree temperatures were a big improvement for the event if falling a little short of last week’s 80-degree days.
About 40 of the 50 pre-registerants and a handfull of day-of entrants warmed up with DCH Chief Executive Office Angela Mortoza and DCH Foundation Manager Matt Crooks, stretching leg and back muscles before gathering at the starting line, where a blast from an air horn signaled the start of the 8 a.m. event.
A 1K Kids Run followed at 9 a.m. Sponsors for the 2018 event in Perry included Shive-Hatery Inc., Mercy Clinics Family Medicine and Barr-Nunn Transportation Inc.
Live Healthy Iowa is a program of the Iowa Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization located in Ames. The program was created in 2002 as a strategic health initiative to address the state’s growing obesity problem.
Perry is one of 18 Iowa towns hosting the annual 5K and 1K treks. Proceeds benefit the local wellness coalitions in partner communities as well as Live Healthy Iowa Kids initiatives. The partnership “brings together friends, families, businesses and communities in team-based wellness challenges designed to promote positive lifestyle change,” according to Live Healthy Iowa.
Over its 16 years, Live Healthy Iowa has helped more than 339,000 participants shed over 1.2 million pounds and log nearly 661 million minutes of physical activity through its annual 10 Week Wellness Challenge.
