Scottville Walks to launch to promote healthy living.

Scottville Walks to launch to promote healthy living.

#Scottville News.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

SCOTTVILLE — The Scottville Area Senior Center, District 10 Health Department, Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital, the City of Scottville, and Mason County Central Schools are working together to promote healthy walking around the city through a soon-to-be-launched program called Scottville Walks.

“The project is aimed at increasing physical activity within Scottville,” said Erin Barrett, public health educator with the health department. The project originated with a committee formed at the Scottville Area Senior Center made up of a group of seniors who were interested in getting outside and walking around town. That committee obtained a small grant form the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to help pay for signage and brochures that identify a walking loop around town.

As that program was being developed, Mason County Central Schools had received a $10,000 Michigan Department of Education’s Safe and Healthy Students grant. Administrator Angela Taylor said she became aware of the senior center project and decided to form a partnership.

“The grant the school received will help fund the program when the senior center’s grant money runs out,” said Angela Taylor of MCC. “The grant also allows us to create walking routes at Spartan Community Field and the Ed Malkowski Community Nature Center, both located near the middle school.” Taylor said those paths will be connected to the walking routes around the city.

“We are really excited about the community partnerships we are forming with this project,” Taylor said.

Signs are still being finalized for the school paths, but the city routes will be launched this week. Barrett said a message board will be placed in the empty lot next to Holden’s Home Emporium in downtown Scottville, and the city will be installing the route signs.

To officially launch Scottville Walks, a community walking challenge will be held from Nov. 1 to Nov. 7. During the challenge, participants will be able to win prizes for their participation. Prizes include: first place, $100 Dunhams gift certificate; second place, $25 Dunhams gift certificate; third prize, $25 Dunhams gift certificate. The contest is open to anyone who lives, works, or attends school in the Scottville area and all ages are welcome.

How it works: Participants can download a challenge sheet at www.livewell4health.org. The challenge sheet explains the rules for the contest.

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