By KALEY CONNER

kconner@dailynews.net

For the fourth year in a row, Hays Medical Center's annual Steppin' Out for a lifetime program has earned national recognition.

The spring initiative placed third in the nation for the highest number of steps taken.

"Hays just keeps getting on the map," said Kelly Flaska, a wellness specialist at the Center for Health Improvement. "We want to get Hays healthy. We want to keep being on the map as a community that's striving to keep people healthy."

The CHI will be awarded with a commemorative plaque to recognize its success.

Throughout the week-long contest, 1,956 local participants took more than 58 million steps. Based on Flaska's estimate that there are 2,000 steps in a mile, locals took enough steps to walk 29,000 miles.

With about 3,000 miles stretching from coast to coast, that's enough steps to walk across the United States nine times.

Residents easily reached the challenge that was extended to them -- the goal was to total 70,000 steps in seven days.

The majority of participants -- about 1,800 -- are elementary and middle school students, with students in Hays, Ellis and Victoria reaching for pedometers.

Flaska said the students and teachers get excited for the annual event, and their participation is much appreciated.

"It's a great thing for us to do, especially with obesity in children being such a big thing right now," she said. "It's a great way to keep those kids active."

There is no cost for the program, and participants are equipped with pedometers to monitor their progress. Along with Pound Plunge, another free event, the program is part of the hospital's efforts to get residents exercising and keep them healthy. CHI launched the initiative four years ago, which is when the national event got its start.

In previous years, the Hays program placed second in the nation, alongside other communities of all sizes throughout the United States.

The event already is being planned for next year, and Flaska hopes to see many more community participants become involved. It's also hoped Hays can hold on to its place on top of national results.

"Obviously, our school participation is phenomenal," she said. "It's our community participation that we should or could increase."