“I’m all about walking,” Wheeless said. “I walk about three to five miles every day, and I’ve lost more than 50 pounds and been able to keep it off.”

Morgan Chrestman, Crittenden County Extension family and consumer sciences agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said collaborating with Wheeless to host a National Walking Day event in the community was an obvious choice.

“Working with Judge Wheeless and his office has been a very positive experience,” Chrestman said. “Their support of initiatives like National Walking Day shows shared commitment to improving quality of life in Crittenden County. This kind of partnership and investment helps move ideas into action and makes these efforts more meaningful within our community.”

Wheeless proclaimed April 1 as National Walking Day in Crittenden County. To celebrate the event, the Crittenden County Extension office, along with extension programs Walk Across Arkansas and the Arkansas High Obesity Prevention Project, hosted a lunchtime community walk from noon-1 p.m. at Tilden Rogers Park in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Mishanna Lanes, extension project manager for the Arkansas High Obesity Prevention Program, or ArHOP, with the Division of Agriculture, said attendees walked laps around the park, which offers a range of recreational activities for residents, including fishing, biking, pickleball, basketball and more.

“Two of the ladies who attended mentioned that they want to come to the park weekly to fish and walk together,” Lanes said. “They are retired and love being in the community and getting more physically active.”

Wheeless attended the event and said he was glad to join his community in prioritizing physical health.

“I would encourage other people, if they care about their health or their neighbor’s health, that walking is one of the easiest things that any of us could ever do,” Wheeless said. “Whether you’re trying to walk fast or slow, any type of movement is going to be beneficial for your health.”

Wheeless is currently participating in the spring session of Walk Across Arkansas, a free, eight-week group-based exercise program that requires participants to track their daily physical activity. Extension offers the program twice a year in the spring and fall. This is the judge’s third season participating in the program as part of the Crittenden County Extension office’s team.

Chrestman said Wheeless’s support of the event is reflective of how “collaboration between extension and local government is essential.”

“It allows us to combine resources, reach more people and create a lasting impact,” Chrestman said. “Extension brings research-based education and programming, while local government brings leadership, visibility and support that helps our efforts grow.”

Walking towards better health

Chrestman said the inspiration for the National Walking Day event came from her involvement in Walk Across Arkansas and the Arkansas State Walking College, an educational fellowship program of the Division of Agriculture and America Walks.

“Through programs like Walk Across Arkansas, we’ve seen how small steps can lead to big changes in overall health,” Chrestman said. “National Walking Day felt like the perfect opportunity to bring people together, encourage healthier habits and highlight the importance of physical activity in a way that is both approachable and community-driven.”

“Many people complain that there is nothing to do in rural areas,” Lanes said. “Events like National Walking Day can build morale in our rural communities, and this supports our goal of community activism with ArHOP.”

Though the spring session of Walk Across Arkansas is currently underway, registration for program’s fall session will open on the program’s website in August or September. Chrestman said she encourages Arkansans to take advantage of the program because it “meets people where they are and encourages healthier lifestyles in a realistic, sustainable way.”

“It is about progress, not perfection,” she said. “The benefits truly go beyond physical health. It also improves mental well-being, builds connections and creates a sense of community around something as simple as walking.

“Programs like this show that improving health doesn’t have to be overly complicated,” Chrestman said. “It just takes consistency, accountability and support.”

Visit the Walk Across Arkansas website to learn more about the program.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.