LINCOLN (Jan. 12, 2024) – Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen will lead the annual Governor’s Walk today at 11 a.m. at the State Capitol. The event begins with a brief news conference in the Warner Chamber followed by a 20-minute walk through the second-floor hallways. The conference will be streamed through Nebraska Public Media.
The purpose of the Governor’s Walk is to promote the benefits of daily physical activity in living a healthy life. It is also a reminder of the simplicity of walking as a healthy physical activity that can easily be fit into one’s noon hour or coffee break. Following the news conference, those in attendance will walk the halls for 20 minutes.
The Governor’s Walk is the annual kickoff for the WellPower Movement, a free online activity-tracking program produced by the Nebraska Sports Council. The WellPower Movement, which has 9,000 active members, provides virtual badges and real prizes for those who achieve and log physical activity miles during special challenges held periodically throughout the year. The first major activity challenge, The WellPower 100 Challenge, begins Monday, Jan. 15. Those interested can sign up and participate for free at WellPowerMovement.com.
Besides Governor Pillen, speakers at the news conference will include Nebraska DHHS Director of Public Health Charity Menefee, Nebraska Sports Council President Dave Mlnarik, and Dr. JoAnne Owens-Nauslar, a nationally renowned speaker and physical fitness advocate.
The Governor’s Walk is organized by the Nebraska Sports Council, a Nebraska-based 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote healthy active lifestyle choices, in collaboration with the Governor’s office and the Nebraska Health and Human Services department.