81 Idaho mayors to participate in annual Mayor’s Walking Challenge
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho mayors are ready to get moving this month and earn money for their community in the Mayor’s Walking Challenge, a program of the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health that promotes the importance of being physically active.
This year’s challenge attracted 81 mayors, who can earn up to $1,000 for their efforts. Mayors have two options this year:
- Walk an average of 5,000 steps a day during October to earn $500 for their community
- Walk an average of 10,000 steps a day during October to earn $1,000 for their community
“We are grateful that so many of our mayors are making time to do what’s good for their own health as well as benefitting their communities,” said Kendra Witt-Doyle, Executive Director, Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health. “These mayors are setting a great example about the importance of being active. Walking is one of the easiest and best things people can do for their health.”
PARTICIPATING MAYORS
Eastern IDAHO MAGIC VALLEY/CENTRAL IDAHO
City | Mayor | City | Mayor | |
American Falls | Rebekah Sorensen | Albion | Isaac Loveland | |
Ammon | Sean Coletti | Dietrich | Deborah Moon | |
Arimo | Lonnie Gunter | Fairfield | Terry Lee | |
Bancroft | LuCus Spencer | Hazelton | Art Watkins | |
Blackfoot | Marc Carroll | Hollister | Jayne Self | |
Chubbuck | Kevin England | Jerome | David Davis | |
Dayton | Melvin E. Beutler | Oakley | Larry Mickelsen | |
Downey | Rex Nielson | Paul | Bruce Hossfeld | |
Driggs | Hyrum Johnson | Shoshone | Dan Pierson | |
Firth | Brandon Jolley | Stanley | Steve Botti | |
Franklin | Todd Hawkes | Twin Falls | Suzanne Hawkins | |
Grace | Jackie Barthlome | Wendell | Donald Dunn | |
Idaho Falls | Rebecca Casper | |||
Malad | Joan Hawkins | |||
Montpelier | Jared Sharp | |||
Mud Lake | Sherry Locasio | |||
Pocatello | Brian Blad | |||
Preston | Dan Keller | |||
Rexburg | Jerry Merrill | |||
Roberts | B.J. Berlin | |||
Shelley | Stacy Pascoe | |||
Tetonia | Brent Schindler | |||
Victor | Will Frohlich | |||
Weston | Greg Garner |
NORTHERN IDAHO
City | Mayor | City | Mayor | |
Bonners Ferry | James R. Staples | Moscow | Bill Lambert | |
Coeur d’Alene | Steve Widmyer | Orofino | Sean Simmons | |
Dalton Gardens | Dan Edwards | Osburn | Kip McGillivray | |
Dover | Diane Brockway | Peck | Nancy Greene | |
East Hope | Vern Fleisher | Pierce | Dominic Consentino | |
Ferdinand | Ralph Wassmuth | Ponderay | Steve Geiger | |
Fernan Lake Village | Heidi Acuff | Post Falls | Ron Jacobson | |
Genesee | Timothy Sperber | Smelterville | Linda Guthmiller | |
Hayden | Steve Griffitts | Spirit Lake | Renee Eastman | |
Hayden Lake | Jim Ackerman | Stites | Gerald Cathey | |
Hope | William Breen | Tensed | Richard Keaveny | |
Juliaetta | Richard Groseclose | Wallace | Lynn Mogensen | |
Kamiah | Betty Heater | Winchester | Miriam Youngren | |
Lapwai | Antonio Smith | Worley | Charlene Waddell | |
Lewiston | Michael Collins |
SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO / TREASURE VALLEY
City | Mayor | City | Mayor | |
Boise | Lauren McLean | Marsing | Chad Sevy | |
Caldwell | Garret Nancolas | McCall | Bob Giles | |
Cambridge | Mark Loveland | Meridian | Robert Simison | |
Cascade | Judith Nissula | Mountain Home | Rich Sykes | |
Crouch | Bob Powell | Nampa | Debbie Kling | |
Emmett | Gordon Petrie | Parma | Angie Lee | |
Garden City | John Evans | Star | Trevor A. Chadwick | |
Homedale | Gheen Christoffersen | Weiser | Randy Hibberd |
Since the Mayor’s Walking Challenge became a statewide event in 2018, Idaho mayors have earned $206,000 for their communities. Those funds have contributed to a variety of projects and programs that promote a healthy lifestyle across Idaho, including playgrounds, physical education equipment for schools, walking clubs, amenities at parks, scholarships for youth programs, and more.