Government employees who for the last eight weeks have risen early to take part in a "Just Walk 10,000 Steps A Day" initiative will step off in the big finale walk at 5 a.m. Saturday, starting in Altona Lagoon, according to the V.I. Division of Personnel.

Personnel, the Government Employees Service Commission Health Insurance Board, CIGNA and the V.I. Fire Service Firewalkers, are inviting all the participants of the previous walks to come out for the finale, which is part of a program promoted by CIGNA, the government employee’s health insurance provider.

A healthy breakfast will be held upon completion of the walk.

“I am extremely pleased to extend congratulations to the entire GVI (Government of the Virgin Islands) employee population, active and retired, for their completion of our first eight weeks of the10,000 Steps-a-Day Program!" said Personnel Director Kenneth Hermon. "As a group, we have walked a collective 239,886,606 (steps)!”

Although the eight-week program has come to an end, Hermon is encouraging employees who are interested in continuing to keep track of their steps. Employees and ex-employees can register and join the University of the Virgin Islands/V.I. Port Authority’s walking group, which will be active well into April, according to the Division of Personnel. To register, employees must create new profiles by clicking on the “self-registration” tab on the left side of the home page.

Prior participants can use their same pedometer, issued at the beginning of the program, and new employees will have to purchase their own from a retailer of their choice, as Personnel has exhausted its supply. Interested employees can register at the following website: www.cornerstonefitness.com/uvi-viport/10ksteps.html