DePaul faculty and staff are taking extra steps this quarter to positively impact the environment and their personal health. The Green Steps walking program, sponsored through the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center, was created to encourage DePaul employees to stay active.

Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Dana McPherren is spearheading the initiative. The program, which began on April 5, recruited 90 participants in just the first few days. Currently, there are 139 participants and 37 teams.

“We have been so pleasantly surprised,” McPherren said. “There was just such a positive reaction from the faculty and staff. It reinforces the notion that the faculty and staff really want and appreciate things like this.”

The teams have until Friday, June 11, to walk 700,000 steps. Each participant is given a pedometer to track their daily steps. They are also given access to the program’s website where they can log their progress.

DePaul business manager Joe Bertolli decided to participate in Green Steps after a physical examination. His doctor advised him that walking would help his cholesterol go down.

“As I see it, you are helping other teammates to get in good health also,” Bertolli said. “It is a motivational program to work with others.”

Although it was initially intended to be a wholesome experience for participants, Green Steps inspired some friendly competition amongst the faculty and staff.

“A lot of people were identifying faculty and staff they wanted on their team because a lot of their job requires walking around campus all day,” McPherren said. “They wanted facility operations people because they’re always out, they’re always moving. So that was sort of funny.”

Wrapping up its fifth week, Green Steps participants are doing all they can to increase their numbers. With additional support and encouragement from the program, such as advice and recognition in the weekly newsletter, it’s no wonder one participant logged 302,000 steps in just one day.

“I don’t know what they’re doing to get their steps in but given that a lot of them are racking up 15,000-plus steps per day shows that they’re doing something right,” McPherren said.

Norma Hidalgo, student information specialist at DePaul, joined the program for many reasons including reducing stress and improving her health and endurance. As a member of the “LUCOS II” team, Hidalgo and her teammates make an effort to walk during their lunch hours.

“DePaul took a stance in motivating faculty and staff by introducing this walking program to them, so that faculty and staff can improve their health and well being, and hopefully begin a new healthy lifestyle in the future,” Hidalgo said. “Another incentive was the free pedometers to track your walking progress.”

“We didn’t want them to feel like they had to commit a meeting time,” McPherren said. “It’s as easy as just putting their pedometer on in the morning, do as much activity during the day as you can regardless of where you are.”

Although much of the work of the teams is done independently, McPherren provided opportunities for the participants to come together in their efforts. Group walks have been offered and maps of suggested scenic routes to walk during lunch, or before or after work, have also been given to the walkers. Most importantly, according to McPherren, the program has provided an opportunity for the faculty and staff to come together in a shared interest.

McPherren hopes the success of the program will help to bring it back in the future.

“A lot of this is just ‘trial and error’ to see if there’s an appetite for it,” she said.