City Council President Diane Brockway is currently serving as the acting mayor of Dover, a small, northern Idaho bedroom community to Sandpoint.

Perhaps a better title for her would be “active mayor.”

Brockway is an avid hiker, skier, kayaker, biker and backpacker who usually has no problem taking 10,000 steps a day. She decided to participate in the Mayor’s Walking Challenge, a program of the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health that encourages mayors to be active and earn funds for their community. She is one of 83 Idaho mayors stepping up for the communities this month.

“Despite all I do, this still motivates me,” she said. “There might be days where I have been sitting in front of the computer and haven’t moved a whole lot, and this is a reminder. I enjoy it.”

Mayors who walk an average of 10,000 steps a day during October earn $1,000 for their community to help fund a project or program that encourages physical activity. Mayors who walk an average of 5,000 steps earn $500.

Brockway will seek advice from city staff and her community on how to use the money. Dover, which nearly doubled its population in the past 10 years, is a community that puts a premium on creating and maintaining infrastructure that allows residents to be active. The small city’s city park conveniently accesses nine miles of trails located within Dover Bay community, for walking and biking, as well as a 3.3-mile paved path that connects the city to Sandpoint. Its comprehensive plan encourages conservation and preservation of open spaces for residents and Idahoans to enjoy.

“There are so many opportunities to do things with our beach area and city parks,” she said. “We are always looking for ways to get people outdoors and be active.”