Governor Joe Manchin gave his state of the state address to the West Virginia Legislature on Wednesday night. During the state of the state Governor Manchin made a commitment to join the West Virginia Leaders on the Move initiative sponsored by the West Virginia on the Move project.
I have had the opportunity to be involved in the West Virginia on the Move project and think it is a great grassroots effort to increase healthly lifestyle changes in West Virginia. For more information on how to become involved in the project check out the West Virginia on the Move website.
Below is an excerpt from the written text of Governor Manchin's state of the state address where Governor Manchin announced his and his staff's committment to participate in the West Virginia on the Move initiative.
". . .The third promise: Every child should have a healthy start. Just like children must be taught to read in order to be successful, they must also be taught the skills that will help them stay healthy throughout their entire life. That is why I am proposing a three part Healthy Start Initiative that will give our children the skills they need to fight the growing epidemics of childhood obesity, Type II diabetes and heart disease.
And, to show my commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle for our children, the Governor’s office has accepted a challenge by the House and Senate to participate in the West Virginia Leaders On The Move initiative. During the legislative session, my staff and I will wear pedometers and track our steps daily. The steps will then be averaged out and, as I understand it, a trophy will be awarded to the office that has walked the most at the conclusion of the session. We’re happy to be able to participate in this worthwhile project, and for the record, we plan on winning. . ."
