(KFVS) - The Illinois Department of Public Health, Conference of Women Legislators and the American Heart Association team up in February for "Go Red for Women."

According to the COWL, each legislator that signs up for the challenge will receive a pedometer donated by the AHA. Each day between March 5 and April 29, participating legislators will record the number of steps they take each day, and report the total number of steps to IDPH each week.

“Today we are challenging the women of COWL to help us spread awareness of the fight against heart disease by taking personal action to prevent it,” said Mark E. Peysakhovich, senior director of Governmental Relations with the American Heart Association. “We challenge each participant to track their steps over the next several weeks of the legislative session with the pedometer. Pfizer Inc. will donate $1 for every mile walked, up to $5,000, to go toward the COWL scholarship fund.”

(KFVS) - The "Walk Across Illinois Challenge" was announced today and encourages Illinoisans to walk 167 miles during 2012 to improve their own health.

Former Chicago Bears and Chicago Bulls players, schoolteachers and students joined Governor Quinn to launch the program, which is designed to help Illinois residents get healthier by adding a half-mile of walking to their daily routines, which is roughly the distance across Illinois from Rock Island on the Mississippi River to Chicago on Lake Michigan.

Residents can accept the "Walk Across Illinois Challenge" by visiting www.WalkAcrossIllinois.org, where they can register and log their miles.