Every year MSU-Billings’ students in the Media for Social Change class through the Department of Communications and Theaters promotes a different cause. In the spring of 2006, the communication students launched the Go Play! campaign. Go Green! Go Fit! Go Nutrition! Go Parks!
During the 2006-2007 school year, students from Montana State University-Billings (MSU-Billings) created the community-wide “Go Play” campaign to increase community awareness of, and participation in, bicycling and walking for transportation, thereby creating a safer environment for kids to walk and bike to and from school. Created under the direction of Dr. Sarah Keller from MSU, the campaign is co-directed by Dr. Keller and Kathy Aragon. “GO Play” has supported safe routes to school efforts through several events including:
- The promotion of International Walk to School Day/Week/Month, the Heart and Sole Run (a family oriented fun run sponsored by Saint Vincent Healthcare), and Bike/Walk/Bus week.
- The Promotion of SRTS at community events that have included the spring Child Safety Fair and the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day.
The GO Play! campaign continues to be part of the Billings community. With the help of different student groups and a variety of sponsors the campaign is able to publish a trail map each year that shows where walking/running/bike trails and parks are located. The trail map has remained the most widely used piece of GO Play! and it is distributed throughout Yellowstone County. The sponsors of the most current trail map are the Billings Chamber of Commerce, St. Vincent Healthcare, the Billings Gazette and Riverstone Health. This year’s trail map can be accessed here: GoPlay2012_TrailMap_final
Go Play includes four components now:
- Go Green: Promotes playing an active role in the Billings community. Drive less, bike and rollerblade more. Everyone knows that exercise reduces stress and improves your overall health. For your health and your community’s health . . . GO PLAY!
- Go Fit: Promotes getting involved in fit activities throughout the year. The Go Play website has activities that individuals and families can do throughout the year. So get up, grab a friend, and experience a game live. GO PLAY!
- Go Nutrition: Take a bite in the right direction because you are what you eat. Visit the website to for healthy eating tips that can be prepared quickly. So grab a nutrition snack and GO PLAY!
- Go Parks: There are over 43 local parks in the Billings Community! Take advantage of fishing, tennis, and leisurely strolls. And those are just some of the wonderful things that can be enjoyed when spending a day at the park. A great way to relieve stress is by releasing energy in a healthy way! GO PLAY!
For more information about the Go Play! campaign please contact:
Kathy Aragon at jenaragon@bresnan.net
or
Sarah Keller at: skeller@msubillings.edu