Virginia Governor Ralph S. Northam

WHEREAS, the first Wednesday of April is recognized as “National Walking Day,” as first proclaimed by the American Heart Association in 2007; and

WHEREAS, walking has benefits that exceed just the importance of health as first attributed to the day; and

WHEREAS, walking is an important source of mental stimulation, growth, and health through cultural and natural tourism, historical education, and connection to natural tranquility; and

WHEREAS, walking as a recreational activity and a popular sport provides proven benefits to physical health for the heart, joints and movement, mitigating the impacts of aging, and in diabetes and cancer prevention to name only a few; and

WHEREAS, walking provides a sound and proven opportunity to experience the critical benefit of fellowship and companionship; and walking is crucial to human connections, community building and transportation infrastructures; and

WHEREAS, walking provides the opportunity to experience spiritual connections to the world both seen and unseen; and

WHEREAS, walking brings families together through the generations; and

WHEREAS, walking as a lifetime goal requires the opportunity for all people from all communities to experience the importance of walking in a variety of situations that exceed the capabilities of just one day in the middle of a week;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ralph S. Northam, do hereby recognize April 1-7, 2020, as VIRGINIA WALKING WEEK in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.