WAYNE ALLEN

PDT Staff Writer

The Center for Appalachian Philanthropy has teamed up with a number of community partners to offer the first Turtle Challenge in Scioto County.

According to Sharon Carver, RN, MSN, Director for AppaCHIPS, Center for Appalachian Philanthropy to goal of the challenge is to get residents of Scioto County moving 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

She said the concept of the challenge is based on the fable of the tortoise and the hair.

“The hare is the fast runner who is always expected to win the race, but it is the endurance and strong will of the tortoise to keep on moving until he wins. We believe that the turtle will win the race with strong will and determination,” Carver said.

The challenge will take place from September 19 through November 14.

Carver said to participate in the challenge people will need to form teams of five people.

“Members of the teams will log their walking or running time and turn them into the Center for Appalachian Philanthropy and we will keep track of the data during the challenge,” Carver said.

The Turtle Challenge was developed by the Scioto County Healthy Lifestyles Initiative to promote increased physical activity level of residents.

“If you look at recent health factors that we’ve been talking about so frequently, we’re last in the state when it comes to physical activity,” Carver said.

A report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, titled, “County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, A Healthier Nation, County by County,” ranks Scioto County as one of Ohio’s unhealthiest counties.

The annual report, examines every county in the United States and ranks them on a state level based on health outcomes and factors.

Scioto County ranks 87th out of Ohio’s 88 counties for health outcomes and 88th for health factors.

According to www.countyhealthrankings.org, counties are ranked relative to the health of other counties in the same state on the following summary measures:

Health Outcomes — rankings are based on an equal weighting of one length of life (mortality) measure and four quality of life (morbidity) measures. Health Factors — rankings are based on weighted scores of four types of factors: Health behaviors, Clinical care), Social and economic (seven measures) and Physical environment.”

Carver said the Turtle Challenge is an eight week program and is being offered through churches, work sites, schools or individual families. Preregistration is required for teams.

For more information or to register a team for the event visit the Center for Appalachian Philanthropy at 513 Second Street in Portsmouth or call 740-876-4262.

Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 208, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.