Thanks in large part to coordinators who helped Iowans get involved, more than 291,000 people took the first steps toward building a healthier Iowa by participating in the Healthiest State Initiative’s Start Somewhere Walk last year.

This year, Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds again are asking you to make a difference by helping us rally Iowans for another one-kilometer walk on Oct. 3. It’s our chance to show our Iowa pride, celebrate the progress we’ve made in the last year and show our continued commitment to claiming the Healthiest State in the nation title.

In the spirit of friendly competition, we have a new addition to the Healthiest State Walk this year: “Talk the Walk,” a contest where people recruit others to join their specific walks. For every person who is successfully recruited, both the recruiter and the new participant will be entered into a drawing for one of several Hy-Vee gift cards.