By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor

KEYSER — Twenty-eight seniors walked a total of 11,268,613 steps — the equivalent of  5,634 miles — earlier this year as part of the Mineral County Aging & Family Services' annual walking program.
Six of those 28 each walked 500,000 or more steps.
The participants in the fourth annual walking program were honored for their accomplishments this week at the Keyser Senior Center.
A special guest, Sandra Vanin, commissioner of the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Citizens, was present for the program and gave each participant a certificate of appreciation. The top walkers also received a gift certificate.
In the program, participants are given a pedometer to count their steps as they walk. According to coordinator Carol King, many of them wore out their pedometers, and one gentleman even wore out a pair of shoes.
The top walkers for 2009 were as follows: Rita Donahue, 917,065 steps; Pauline Lambka, 804,072 steps; Wilma Fout, 738,511 steps; Curt Crawford, 637,979 steps; Bill Yokum, 622,407 steps; and Betty Spiggle, 603,471 steps.
Other participants in the program included: Joyce Casteel, Bernard Cannon, Brenda Cannon, Lester Clifford, Juanita Kline, Mark Ramos, Sue Ramos, Irene Wilson, Ronald Jackson, Betty Jo Bartlett, Delores Spiker, Leah Swick, Maxine Randall, Emma Kasmier (the oldest participating walker), Ruby Lucas, Shirley Cain, Geneiva Delawder, Doris Jean Keller, Dorothy Sanders, Janice Rogers, Mary Fitzgerald, and Marilyn Suter.
The walking program began in Mineral County in 2006, with 44 participants. In 2007, 70 seniors participated, and in 2008, 55 participated.
King said the next walking program will kick off in March, with the actual program set for April and June.
For more information on the senior walking program, interested persons may contact King at 304-788-5467.