Moorefield W.Va. – Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College (Eastern) held their annual Walk 100 Miles event by tie-dying shirts and walking the first lap on May 31. Participants were able to start tie-dying shirts at noon with an array of colors to choose from. Light refreshments were provided to everyone once they were finished. Then at 5 p.m., everyone could come back to walk the first mile. Ed Cole, Student Services Specialist, led everyone around the parking lot at Eastern. This counted as their first mile to write down.
“This summer, Eastern is thrilled to kick off our second annual Walk 100 Miles event, with seventy enthusiastic participants already on board! Walking offers numerous benefits beyond physical fitness; it significantly impacts emotional well-being. Regular walking can help alleviate symptoms of chronic mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression,” said Ed Cole, Student Services Specialist, “Committing to physical activity like walking, biking, or hiking outdoors can be incredibly beneficial for both body and mind. However, it’s essential to remember that while walking is advantageous, it should not replace the help from a professional mental health treatment. For comprehensive support, always consult with a licensed mental health professional.”
This event was open to the community and participants were able to register in advance to secure a shirt for tie-dying. Walk 100 Miles was created in tandem with May being Mental Health Awareness Month and to support others in building healthy lifestyle habits. In total, there are seventy participants, who will, over the course of ten weeks, walk a total of one hundred miles. They will keep track of how much they have walked, and by the end of the ten weeks, be able to turn their time in to be entered into a raffle to win prizes like a Fitbit.
This event was made possible by Eastern’s Mental Health Grant, received from the WV Higher Education Policy Commission, WV Community & Technical College System, and the Bureau for Behavioral Health.
About Eastern
Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College, based in Moorefield, serves six rural counties in West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands by offering affordable academic programs, including five online degree programs, and a variety of flexible workforce trainings. Eastern is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. For more information, visit https://easternwv.edu or call 304-434-8000.
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