More than 165 individuals have pledged to walk and log their steps for the month of October. Second annual WALKtober hosted by the Hardin County FCS programs aims to encourage individuals to simply walk. There is no minimum goal for incentives, no set number anyone must reach. Individuals set their own goal when they sign up, whether it be a set number of steps, to walk a set number of days, or to improve mental, emotional, physical health, etc. 

Participants are encouraged throughout the month with ideas for places to walk around the county, incentives to keep moving even on bad weather days, and more.

In 2020, 188 individuals signed up. 77 turned in steps at the WALKTober Fest event on the last work days of the month, and more than 16 millions steps were logged, with reports of increased emotional, mental, and physical health. One participant was able to come off of a high blood pressure medicine, and another participant reported that she still walks daily in 2021 because of the habit formed in WALKTober 2020.