Iowa Celebrities Support Start Somewhere Walk

Healthiest State Initiative

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – September 7, 2011 – Iowa’s effort to break a world record for the largest walk is getting a boost from 18 Iowa celebrities.

Iowa celebrities young and old – both in the state and across the country – are lending their faces and voices to a series of television and radio public service announcements that will encourage Iowans to participate in a Start Somewhere Walk on Friday, October 7, at noon. Walk organizers are hoping to have 250,000 or more Iowans participate in simultaneous walks in order to break a record currently held by walkers in Canada in 2007.

Celebrities appearing in the public service announcements include:

• Harrison Barnes, former Ames High School standout basketball player and 2010 Morgan Wootten Player of the Year.
• Liang Chow, head coach of the 2008 U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team.
• Stephen Collins, actor best known for the television series 7th Heaven.
• Tim Dwight, former University of Iowa football player and retired NFL player.
• Simon Estes, opera singer/vocalist and professor at Wartburg College and Iowa State University.
• Kirk Ferentz, University of Iowa football coach.
• Dan Gable, University of Iowa wresting coach and U.S. Olympic champion.
• Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State University men’s basketball coach and retired NBA player.
• Shawn Johnson, U.S. Olympic gold medal gymnast and Dancing with the Stars champion.
• Zach Johnson, professional golfer on the PGA Tour and 2007 Master’s Tournament champion.
• Lolo Jones, U.S. Olympic 100-meter hurdle finalist.
• Natasha Kaiser-Brown, U.S. Olympic silver medalist and Drake University track and field coach.
• Cloris Leachman, Academy- and Emmy Award-winning actress.
• Ron Livingston, actor best known for the movie Office Space and HBO’s TV miniseries Band of Brothers.
• Rebecca Meyer, at-home winner on Season 8 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser.
• Johnny Orr, former Iowa State University men’s basketball coach.
• Brandon Routh, actor best known for his role as Superman in Superman Returns.
• Kurt Warner, former University of Northern Iowa quarterback, retired NFL quarterback and Super Bowl MVP.

The Start Somewhere Walk is the symbolic kickoff to the Healthiest State Initiative announced by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad last month. The goal of the Initiative is to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation within five years as measured by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index®. In 2010, Iowa ranked 19th compared to all other states.

Governor Branstad has asked all Iowans to consider participating in the one-kilometer walk. “By itself, a one-kilometer walk won’t change the health of our state,” Branstad says. “But it’s an opportunity for all Iowans to come together and take the first step toward our ambitious goal.”

To pledge support of the Healthiest State Initiative and intention to participate in a Start Somewhere Walk, Iowans can go to www.iowahealthieststate.com. More than 150 walks have already been scheduled throughout the state.

The Healthiest State Initiative is a privately led, public effort that will engage Iowans and their communities throughout the state. It will involve individuals, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, not-for-profits and the public sector in a broad-based community-focused effort. For more information, visit www.iowahealthieststate.com.