Event Overview
Get up from your desk and on your feet for a walk at lunch on Wednesday, April 29, 2015 for National
Walk @ Lunch Day®!
National Walk @ Lunch Day is designed to complement — not compete with — busy lifestyles. Created
to improve personal health and decrease the costs of healthcare for both employers and employees,
National Walk @ Lunch Day can be the start of a new daily walking routine, improving health step by
step.
Participation is fun and easy. On Wednesday, April 29, local Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies and
businesses large and small across the country will encourage employees to wear comfortable shoes and
take a walk at lunch.
Schools also are encouraged to participate in National Walk @ Lunch Day by setting personal goals for
students and teachers, and incorporating walking into the school day as a first step toward long-term
prevention of potentially serious health problems.
Studies have found that regular walking, particularly at a brisk pace of three miles per hour, can
substantially reduce the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Additionally, simply
performing 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five times a week has significant health
benefits and can lower the risk of developing or dying from hypertension or type 2 diabetes while
improving the health of muscles, bones, and joints.
Join us on Wednesday, April 29 and help us walk toward a healthier America. Visit
http://www.ibx.com/company_info/events/walk_at_lunch.html to learn more.
General Guide to Planning a Walk
Planning a walk at your workplace is easier than you think. While walks can vary in the number of
participants, there are a number of steps that must take place to ensure a successful walk. The timeline
below provides critical information for those planning a National Walk @ Lunch Day walk.
March

Begin reaching out to event spokespersons and VIPs you would like to speak at your event.

Identify a spokesperson to represent your walk with local media.

Contact vendors that will be needed at the walk (catering services, sound crew, photographer, etc.).

Begin outreach to organizations invited to participate in your National Walk @ Lunch Day event.

Download and customize the ready-to-print National Walk @ Lunch Day promotional materials from
the National Walk @ Lunch Day toolkit. (Don’t forget to print the materials!)

Print promotional materials and signage needed for the event, such as the 4’ x 8’ event banners
included in the National Walk @ Lunch Day toolkit.
April

Distribute promotional event materials to target audiences.

Finalize and distribute press release to local media.

Finalize and distribute media advisory to local media.

Finalize a detailed run-of-show for the planning team, outlining every component of the event.

Conduct any final outreach to participants the morning of the walk.
May

Send thank-you letters to spokespersons, VIPs, and those who helped with the planning and
execution of the walk.
Graphics recommendation: Use evite messaging with HTML template provided in the toolkit
Evite
Subject Line: Join us for National Walk @ Lunch Day on April 29
Headline: Turn a working lunch into a walking lunch
Sub Head: Take a walk at lunch with us on Wednesday, April 29
Copy:
It can be hard to find time in your busy schedule to participate in physical activity. However, taking a walk
is one of the simplest, safest, and most effective forms of exercise — and you can start on April 29! Blue
Cross and Blue Shield Companies across the country sponsor the annual National Walk @ Lunch Day®
— designed to encourage busy people like you to take a walk during your lunch break and start a healthy
routine.
Join [INSERT PLAN/EMPLOYER/LEGISLATOR] and tens of thousands of working Americans around the
country on Wednesday, April 29 for a 30-minute walk during lunch, and take the first steps towards a
healthier lifestyle.
This year’s National Walk @ Lunch Day walk will take place at: [INSERT LOCATION, TIMING
INFORMATION]. Please contact [CONTACT NAME and EMAIL ADDRES OR PHONE NUMBER] for
more details about this healthy lunchtime event.
Remember to bring your walking shoes to work on Wednesday, April 29 and meet us to begin a new,
healthy part of your day.
Walking benefits taken from Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, “Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your
health," December 18, 2010.
Employer Website Copy
Turn a Working Lunch into a Walking Lunch!
Join [EMPLOYER NAME] and tens of thousands of walkers nationwide for National Walk @ Lunch Day®
on April 29, 2015.
National Walk @ Lunch Day can be the first step toward making a big difference in the health of all
Americans. When done briskly on a regular basis, walking can help:

Decrease the risk of heart attack and type 2 diabetes

Control weight

Improve muscle tone

Reduce stress
Take your first steps toward a healthier life on April 29 at [LOCATION]. [EMPLOYER NAME]’s employees
will gather for a brisk 30-minute walk at [TIME HERE]. Walkers will receive [INSERT GIVEAWAYS] to
help them begin a daily walking routine and manage their health.
[ADDITIONAL EVENT INFORMATION HERE]
This walk at lunch is an easy and fun way to begin your own walking routine and manage your health. For
more event information, contact [INSERT CONTACT NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS].
Walking benefits taken from Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, “Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your
health," December 18, 2010.