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Sanford bringing drive for good health to Orangeburg

Gov. Mark Sanford said Tuesday he will visit Orangeburg next month as part of his second annual Family Fitness Challenge, an initiative to encourage South Carolinians to make healthier choices in their daily lives.

Last year, the governor and his family members completed a 170-mile bicycle ride across South Carolina, including a pass through Orangeburg and Calhoun counties.

This year, Sanford will kick off his initiative by participating in the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston on April 2.

A week later, on April 9, the governor will take part in the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event in Orangeburg. State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, will join Sanford in the event.

"Making healthier choices is key to advancing quality of life in our state, whether it's exercising more, eating the right things or generally looking after our health better," Sanford said.

"We have a long way to go in improving our state's overall health picture, but the good news is we can start today with some simple solutions that will have a material impact on how we look and feel as a state," he added.

Sanford said his family plans to attend events organized by supportive groups throughout the year.

Sanford said the most important thing the state's residents can do to become healthier is to become more active, even if it means just working in the yard or walking around the block.

He cited a 2004 United Health Foundation study that reported the Palmetto State performed poorly in a number of health categories, including obesity, physical inactivity and the percentage of adult smokers.

Overall, the study found South Carolina had the nation's fourth-worst health ranking, despite ranking 11th in per capita public health spending. South Carolina has not been rated higher than 40th in the annual study since 1990.

For information on the bridge run, call (843) 937-4183 or visit www.bridgerun.com.

For information on the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event in Orangeburg, contact the South Carolina Chapter of the March of Dimes at (803) 252-5200 or www.walkamerica.com.