Incentivizing Healthy Activity

Celebrating 20 Years of Mileage Club

Nearly 20 years ago, a conversation during an early morning walk changed the course of recess for thousands of Story County children.

In 2005, Mary Greeley Medical Center's Vickie Newell was attending a conference when she struck up a friendship with another attendee from Michigan. As the two walked together before sessions began, the woman told Newell about a program at her children's school called Mileage Club.

At the same time, Newell was serving on a Story County task force exploring ways to promote physical activity among elementary students. Supported by a Harkin Community Wellness Grant administered through the Mary Greeley Medical Center Foundation, the idea quickly gained momentum.

"I thought Mileage Club might be a good idea, and I presented it to the group," recalls Newell, now Manager of Volunteer and Older Adult Services. "The group was very excited about it, and we received funding."

Working alongside Gilbert resident Tanya Hargrave-Klein, Newell helped create the structure for the program and personally visited PTO groups throughout Ames to build support.

The goal was simple: encourage kids to be active and make it fun.

‘Just Two Moms’

What neither woman expected was that the program would still be going strong two decades later.

"Never in a million years did I think we would still be talking about this program 20 years later," Newell says. "About 10 years ago, Tanya and I were reflecting on its success and one of us said, 'Just two moms.' That's what we always come back to. We were just two moms who wanted to make a difference."

From the beginning, children embraced the concept. Students walked, jogged, and ran laps during recess, collecting punches on cards and earning the now-iconic Toe Tokens. By the program's third year, more than 80 percent of students at participating schools were involved and had accumulated more than 25,000 miles combined.

"The immediate enthusiasm from the PTOs and the number of parents willing to spend their lunch hour standing on a playground punching cards really surprised us," Newell says. "And the kids absolutely loved the Toe Tokens."

A Spring Tradition

Today, Mileage Club has become a spring tradition in Story County. Schools eagerly anticipate the program each year, and volunteer coordinators continue to find new ways to celebrate students' accomplishments.

At Gilbert Elementary, coordinator Kendra Kruse watched a group of students set out to break the previous school record of 51.5 miles this year. Twelve children surpassed it, establishing a new mark of 64.75 miles.

"It was fun to watch friends push each other to run together just one more lap," Kruse says.

She also witnessed younger siblings cheering from the sidelines and older brothers and sisters encouraging one another around the course.

"Everyone wins," she says. "Walking and running kids are ‘tired-at-night’ kids, and everyone can appreciate that."

At Fellows Elementary, coordinator Jamie Morgan reported a record number of students earning Mileage Club T-shirts this year, with the top two runners each surpassing 80 miles. Meanwhile, students at Hubbard-Radcliffe once again embraced the program, with the school's top participant logging 46 miles.

The Secret is Simplicity

Newell believes the secret to the program's longevity is its simplicity. At its base, it is simply incentivizing kids to add intentional movement to their day. And while the program has expanded over the years to include a component encouraging healthy eating, the focus remains on being inclusive, empowering and fun.

"Everyone can walk or run. No special equipment is needed," she says. "Kids choose to participate, and it only comes around once a year, so it's something they look forward to."

She also points to the volunteers who have sustained the program year after year.

"The volunteers are everything," she says. "Without them, there would be no Mileage Club program. These volunteers are there, come rain or shine, ready to punch cards and encourage the kids."

And she credits Mary Greeley with recognizing the program's value after the original grant funding ended.

"Mary Greeley is here to provide care when you need it, and just as importantly, to support and promote healthy living in our community," she says. "I've always felt that if it's the right thing to do, Mary Greeley will find a way to do it."

Two Decades of Memories

Perhaps her favorite memory came after the inaugural year, when elementary students from throughout the area gathered at the Ames High School track to celebrate.

"It was truly an incredible sight," Newell remembers. "Each school wore its colors, and the kids were just walking and having fun together."

Today, when she drives past a school and sees the Mileage Club in full swing, she makes a mental note to message her fellow mom.

"Seeing the kids makes me smile and prompts me to text Tanya," she says. "Just two moms."

Nearly 20 years later, thousands of children are still walking, running, collecting Toe Tokens and building healthy habits—proof that sometimes the biggest community traditions begin with a simple idea and people willing to make a difference.