That's the goal of the new Move For Life program implemented at Bassett Healthcare this week, according to Bassett Community Heart Program Coordinator Tom Hohensee. Approximately 300 Bassett employees and volunteers have committed to getting more active for the next eight weeks, with the prospect of establishing some long-term healthy habits.

The reason behind the program, says Hohensee, is that "physical inactivity is a prevalent risk factor for a number of chronic diseases and a poor quality of life." In the current state of American culture the odds are that you are predominantly inactive and in this case, Hohensee says, "normal is not healthy."

The Bassett participants are rewarded one point for every ten minutes they are active. Activity includes anything that gets your body in motion at a moderate to vigorous tempo- walking, climbing stairs, shooting hoops, painting the house, planting a flower bed, tossing a Frisbee with the kids, dancing- if it gets your heart happily pumping, it counts.

To make getting in motion easier, Employee Assistance Program Coordinator Marti Stayton has planned events such as special walks, walking lunches and a dance to infuse more fun into fitness.

Participants who meet the point goals they set are rewarded with incentive prizes such as pins and t-shirts.

The greater reward, of course, is improved fitness and a healthier perspective of the importance of getting and staying active. The message is as simple as the program: if you're a couch potato at home and/or mouse potato at the office, this is a good opportunity to get started with ten little minutes of motion just three times a day. If you're already active, this program encourages you to raise the bar at bit and be more active.

The Walking Example Group will do its part to encourage those who have put their bodies in motion. During the next eight weeks the "WE-GO Rewarder" will select walkers and stair climbers at random and bestow awards including Frisbees, pedometers and gift certificates.

The Walking Example Group salutes Tom Hohensee, Robin Moore, Marti Stayton and the ten staff volunteers for a job well done in implementing this program to improve their colleagues' health. We also salute the 300 people who have made this very wise choice. As the premier healthcare system in our area and the home of the Bassett Heartcare Institute, what better symbol than active, healthy employees?

Brenda Berstler is the founder of the Walking Example Group (WE-GO) a non-profit organization encouraging walking and walkable communities. Visit their website at www.we-go.org.