Locals urged to help set walking record

Ontario will be trying to set a new Guinness world record for the most walkers at any given point in time this Wednesday (Oct. 3) with the “World Record Walk,” and local organizers want area residents to help achieve that goal.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft is encouraging everyone—young and not-so-young alike—to gather at the Sorting Gap Marina at 11:15 a.m. for a head count. The walk has to take place precisely at 11:30 a.m. to be in conjunction with walkers elsewhere in the province.

Participants will walk to Rainy Lake Sports and Tackle and back to the marina, and it shouldn’t take too long, he noted.
“People can do it for their lunch hour, bring a sandwich with them and munch as they go along,” said Coun. Wiedenhoeft, adding he will try to arrange for bottled water for participants.
The local walk is being organized by Coun. Wiedenhoeft, town physical education director Megan Ross, and Siobhan Booth, health educator at the Northwestern Health Unit.
“We’ve been doing some advertising and we sent posters to all the businesses in town,” said Booth, adding Coun. Wiedenhoeft has been the driving force promoting it here.
“We’re hoping to get as many people out as possible.”
“I’ve personally been talking it up to people I’ve run into, but I have no idea how many people will be there,” admitted Coun. Wiedenhoeft, adding he believes some town staff and Gillons’ Insurance staff will be there for sure.
But given the fact it is a walk, “age is irrelevant” and everyone is welcome to come out for it, he continued.
Coun. Wiedenhoeft stressed participants can walk or run, but they’re not allowed to ride their bike, according to the rules that must be followed to set a world record.
The current record is 100,915 walkers walking at a given point in time held by Western Australia, which set it last September.
Communities across Ontario are planning to walk together this Wednesday, adding together their participant totals to try and beat the Australians.
“Our contribution may be small, but it may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft remarked.
The World Record Walk is being organized provincially by Green Communities Canada and the Ministry of Health.
The purpose of the walk is to promote healthy activity as well as pollution-free means of locomotion.