CLIMB the seven summits from around the world for a good cause, all without leaving the comfort of your own backyard.
Steptember is a four-week team challenge, starting Sept. 4, that aims to encourage people to get active while raising money for cerebral palsy. The goal of the challenge is to climb virtual mountains, including Mount Everest, by tracking 10,000 steps per day with the use of a pedometer.
"It's pretty much a health awareness initiative to get people up and active," says Sandeep Gill, co-ordinator for Steptember at the Cerebral Palsy Association of B.C. "We encourage people to raise funds, it's not absolutely necessary but it is encouraged."
She says that participants do not have to limit themselves to just walking either.
"There's a lot of activities such as swimming, yoga, weightlifting, even lawn bowling," says Gill. "There are also activities that are suitable for people with disabilities. It's great for friends, families, co-workers to join together; suitable for all ages and fitness levels."
Four-member teams register online through the Steptember website. Each member can create their own webpage to log their daily exercise and are provided with a pedometer to record the number of steps taken in a day. Other fitness activity is also recorded for duration and intensity, which is then converted into steps through the online step converter. The number of steps required to reach a summit is related to the height of the mountain.
"There are a lot of benefits attached to taking part in the challenge," says Gill. "Obviously creating a healthy lifestyle and regimen for yourself; team and relationship building; taking part in a little friendly competition since it is a worldwide event, you are essentially competing against teams throughout the world; and increasing your motivation, overall well-being and then of course doing it for such a good cause."
There are more than 90 teams currently registered from across Canada, including three from the North Shore, and the number continues to climb. Gill says a survey conducted after last year's challenge received a lot of positive feedback.
"We've had a great response and that's why we've been fortunate to have a lot of teams come back on board this year and build upon it," she says.
Cerebral palsy is a disorder caused by an injury in the developing stages of the brain and can affect both body movement and muscle co-ordination. Characteristics of CP differ from person to person and can range from lack of co-ordination to speech impairment. According to the CPABC, CP affects approximately one out of every 500 individuals in B.C.
and more than 12,000 B.C. residents, including children, are living with the disorder.
Gill says Steptember started in Australia in 2010 and has become a worldwide event.
"Canada actually came on board last year. We were able to get 221 teams, " she says. "B.C. was able to raise $20,000 out of the $48,000 that came from all of Canada. We were the top province from the country, so we're really proud of that."
Gill says B.C. had around 160 participants, or 42 teams, last year alone and the association is hoping this year will have even more participants.
"This year obviously we're aiming for bigger and better," says Gill. "We are hoping to raise $30,000, so really build upon what we could do last year."
She says the challenge is important because CPA is an independent charitable organization.
"We provide support, education and information for people with cerebral palsy," says Gill. "Steptember is important for us to reach our mission and our vision to see people with cerebral palsy live a life without limits, so to be able to engage in the community and be given opportunities just like anyone else would be. Those funds would be used to be able to do that."
Entry into the event is $25 for adults and $10 for children. To register a team for Steptember, go online to steptember. ca.
