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By Dateline staff

Walking: We do it every day on campus, going to and from the parking lot, meetings and lunch, or just for the exercise and pure enjoyment of the campus landscape.

Next week, we will celebrate walking for its health benefits, at the third annual UC Walks. Everyone is invited, employees and retirees, to participate in group walks, receive T-shirts and other free goodies — and, hopefully, commit to walking 30 minutes a day (if you are not doing so already).

UC presents UC Walks systemwide in conjunction with National Health and Fitness Day. Last year, more than 3,500 UC affiliates participated, walking a collective total of 6,400 miles.

UC Walks is set for Wednesday (May 23). Here are the details for the Davis and Sacramento campuses:

Davis — Volunteers are scheduled to lead five 30-minute group walks (this is one more than previously announced, with the addition of Cousteau Place as a gathering point), each beginning at 12:15 p.m. at these locations:

• Quad (east side)
• Mrak Hall (north side)
• Health Sciences District (in front of Scrubs cafe, in Medical Sciences 1B, north of Valley Hall)
• UC Davis Extension-Accounting and Financial Services (in the courtyard between the two buildings on Research Park Drive)
• Cousteau Place (meet at the circle at the end of the street, between the Shared Services Center, and Design and Construction Management)

There is no preregistration. People are welcome to start gathering at any of the sites at 11:45 a.m. to sign in (and become eligible for raffle prizes, including two iPod Shuffles), and pick up T-shirts, lip balm and sunscreen (while supplies last).

Light stretching is planned at 12:10, and then it will be “I Walk, We Walk, UC Walks” (this year’s theme).

Sacramento — The meeting place is the Orchid Room at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel, 4422 Y St., any time from noon to 2 p.m. You can pick up your T-shirt and other goodies, and join a group walk. The first walk is scheduled to begin at 12:10 p.m.; leaders will be available.

New this year

UC Walks qualifies as a follow-up event for the StayWell Health Management incentive program. StayWell is for employees and retirees and their spouses-domestic partners 18 and up who live in the United States and are enrolled in any UC-sponsored health plan except Kaiser (which offers its own wellness resources).

StayWell offers gift cards to employees and spouses-partners who complete an annual health assessment by June 15 and a follow-up program by Dec. 15.

So, if you participate in UC Walks, self-report this information to StayWell (via your online StayWell account). And, if you have already completed your health assessment, or if you do so by June 15, you will earn your gift card ($100 for employees, $50 for spouses-partners). The cards are good at hundreds of retailers and restaurants, and for travel and entertainment.

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