Opinion: Exercise Your Right To Vote Yes For Rail Trail

A Letter to the Editor from Larisa Patacchiola:

On all of our recent vacations, my family and I have been fortunate to encounter and participate in
walking and riding on bike trails. On a trip to Kiawah Island in 2017, one of the highlights of our trip was being able to hop on our bikes and travel with ease around the island without the fear of being hit by a distracted driver. I am not a regular biker when I am not on vacation, but these excursions have come to represent a place in my memories with my family that bring me much joy.

As a clinical social worker in healthcare, I know that exercise in all forms is one of the best things that any of us can do for both our physical and our mental health. As a parent, I know that a physically active child is a healthy child. Countless studies show that for all children and adults, regular exercise promotes confidence, increases self-esteem, and strengthens both physical and cognitive skills. The regular release of endorphins translates into happy children and happy adults. The promotion of movement and activity during the day has been shown in numerous studies to lead to an increase in academic excellence, social skills and a reduction in both anxiety and depression symptoms.

Yet, for all of the benefits listed above, our children are still averaging by some reports upwards of 8.0 hours of media and screen time daily. Most parents agree that this figure is much too high. Reducing this amount of time can only happen with having sufficient and enjoyable alternatives that can be accessed with ease. The rail trail promises to be one such alternative. Knowing that my town cares whether our children have access to activities to promote and sustain better mental health which in turn promises to ensure that they are on the path to healthy adulthood makes me proud. Please vote yes for the Rail Trail on April 9th!

Larisa Patacchiola, LICSW