Walk to Tuk enters The Play Exchanges $1M challenge

An N.W.T. fitness program that challenges people to walk the same distance as the Mackenzie River, from Fort Providence toTuktoyaktuk, over the course of a winter is competing for some big bucks.

The Walk toTuk1,658 kilometre challenge is one ofsix finalists in a competition called The Play Exchange, which will let Canadians vote on who should get up to $1 million in federal funding to promote novel approaches to getting healthy.

Our goal is to take the program national, says SheenaTremblay, Walk to Tuk'slead organizer with the N.W.T. Recreation and Parks Association.

Beginning in 1989, the Walk toTuk became the N.W.T.'s biggest physical activity event.

In the walk, teams of up to 20 memberspool their walking hours to collectively meet the goal.One hour of walking is counted as 5 kilometresfor a team of 10 oror less, or 4 kilometresfor a team of 11 to20 people. Other activities, such as skiing,weight-lifting, or even stacking wood can also count towards the goal.

In 2014, over 100 teams took part, with 73 achieving the goal.

Tremblaysays that if they win, the popular program could get even bigger.

The Play Exchange airs ona national CBC Television special tonight at 7 o'clock.

Voting isopen until January 16.