2021-10-07

For Immediate Release

Interviews and Images Available

Press Contact:
Caren Browning
The Morris + King Company
212-561-7464
caren.browning@morris-king.com

– Creating Healthy Change With Commitment, Support and Inspiration –

New York , NY – March 25, 2008 – Beliefnet.com, the leading online community for faith and inspiration, is partnering with best-selling author and fitness advisor, Kathy Smith on a 10-month journey toward health and wellness through the physical and spiritual exercise of walking. The "America Walks with Kathy Smith" program is intended to support and help motivate walkers as they exercise by encouraging spiritual reflection about how walking practice improves physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

During the training period, participants who join Kathy Smith’s Spiritual Walking Group at Beliefnet Community will go online to record daily, weekly and monthly miles walked outdoors or at the gym. At the culmination of the program on October 4, 2008, each participant will do a five-mile walk and then log their miles online. The goal is for group members to log enough miles on October 4, to “walk” the 3,000-mile coast-to-coast distance of the United States. A map of the U.S. will chart how many miles have been walked and where.

“Creating change is a spiritual commitment,” says Kathy Smith, “and practicing to become healthier in our bodies begins internally. Too many people think you have to torture yourself to get fit and become healthy, but as we’re beginning to discover in our Spiritual Walking Group, walking toward wellness happens one step at a time. I’m glad to be part of Beliefnet’s commitment to exploring the path to physical, mental and spiritual well-being.”

Discussion posts for the Spiritual Walking Group explore types of walking, goal setting and stretching to name just a few of the many topics that will be introduced in the 10-month training program. Members and groups walking for a cause can take advantage of Beliefnet’s donation badge, customized by Network for Good, the web's leading resource for bringing together donors, volunteers and charities. And of course, Kathy’s inspirational guidance and monthly incentives will help members keep their eyes on the prize as they work toward the common goal of creating healthier bodies, minds, spirits and communities.

“Walking is a great form of exercise and it’s convenient for so many people,” said Holly Rossi, Beliefnet’s Health and Healing Editor. “With obesity, diabetes and stress related illnesses at an all time high, Beliefnet is thrilled to be able to offer our community members a place to connect with such a trusted icon in the world of personal well-being. We welcome Kathy and invite everyone to join us in celebrating new possibilities, new beginnings and new life.”

In addition to Kathy Smith’s Spiritual Walking Group, Beliefnet Community offers an array of social networking features, tools and opportunities. As the largest and most diverse faith- and values-based community available at one digital destination, the social network introduces unparalleled resources for study, inspiration and entertainment, and provides a safe meeting place for the nearly 82 million Americans who regularly perform spiritual and religious activities online[1]. Assemblies of all types and sizes—from book clubs and support groups to Bible study and fan clubs—can now create and customize their own websites, calendars, discussion forums and content feeds at www.beliefnet.com/community.

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About Beliefnet

Beliefnet, winner of the 2007 National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online, is the largest online community for spirituality and inspiration. Its mission is to help people find and walk a spiritual path that instills comfort, hope, clarity, strength and happiness for people who are exploring their own faith or curious about other spiritual traditions. Beliefnet offers a wide variety of resources including social networking tools, articles, quizzes, devotionals, sacred text searches, photo galleries and intimate interviews with noted politicians, celebrities and spiritual leaders. Beliefnet has approximately three million unique visitors each month and a daily email newsletter readership of nearly 11 million subscribers. The company, which is a subsidiary of Fox Digital Media and Fox Entertainment Group, is not affiliated with any spiritual organization or movement, and has partnerships with TIME magazine, Yahoo!, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.


[1] Rainie, Lee. Family, Friends & Community. 2004. Pew Internet & American Life Project. 22 October 2007 <http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/126/report_display.asp>

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