Mayor Pasquale Menna, seen kayaking at left in 2010, leads a health walk on Saturday. (Click to enlarge)

Lace up those sneakers and get walking for a good cause. On Saturday, the Red Bank Mayor’s Wellness Committee will host a Community Kick Start Walk – the committee’s first public endeavor – to promote healthy living among borough residents and get the public involved in the new committee.

The walk is scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. in Marine Park, rain or shine. Mayor Pasquale Menna will lead participants around a one-mile loop to Riverside Gardens Park on West Front Street and back.

Post-walk, the committee plans to treat walkers to healthy snacks and refreshments, educational handouts and free T-shirts for the first 100 participants. “Hopscotch,” the pooch from the Pawsitive Action Team at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, will also be on site, ready to impart info on kids about importance of living a healthy and fit life.

The recent formation of the Red Bans committee is part of a statewide campaign adopted by over 300 towns called New Jersey Mayor’s Wellness Campaign, whose mission statement is “Creating a Healthier Community – Today, Tomorrow, Together.” The campaign provides mayors and other community leaders with tools to improve the health of the residents and make their communities healthier places to live.

In addition to generally promoting good health, the campaign hopes to reduce costs associated with the obesity and other unhealthy lifestyle choices.

While the Kick Start Walk marks Red Bank Mayor’s Wellness Committee first public activity, the committee previously coordinated an Employee Health Fair for employees of the borough. Currently, employees are competing in a weight loss competition similar to the setup of The Biggest Loser. A $200 Red Bank gift card is up for grabs by the employee who loses the highest percentage of weight.

For more information on the Community Kick Start Walk or on the Mayor’s Wellness Committee, contact Doreen Hoffman at 732- 530-2748.