Healthy Dearborn Launches Walking Campaign

DEARBORN, MI — If you love to get in a good walk around the community, this upcoming program is for you.

Healthy Dearborn, Mayor O’Reilly, Jr., and Beaumont Health are launching a new eight-week challenge, beginning July 10, to offer people more opportunities to participate in a healthier lifestyle. The campaign will run until Sept. 10.

The campaign is currently looking for volunteer walk leaders. Anyone interested is invited to a walk leader orientation on June 20 at the Dearborn Administrative Center, 16901 Michigan Ave.
As an effort to assist people in being more active, the “Let’s Get Walking, Dearborn!” campaign has a goal of collectively walking 2,275 miles, and will offer individuals the chance to win prizes, such as a Fitbit, for most miles walked.

People are also encouraged to walk outside of the campaign, and can log any miles registered outside of the organized walks, including at Healthy Dearborn’s weekly Walk & Rolls on Wednesdays, or any done on personal time.

“One of the best ways to be healthy is to be physically active, but many people find it hard to make time to get the exercise they need,” said Sara Gleicher, project manager of Healthy Dearborn. “So we thought this kind of walk challenge may help motivate people and encourage them to walk with friends and family.

“Research shows that walking in groups with others is more motivating,” she added.

At the orientation on June 20, volunteer walk leaders will learn about the expectations for their role. They would be required to host at least one walk per week, and would be responsible for choosing their walking route, date and time. They will also be responsible for collecting logged miles from each walker at the end of the route.

Once a roster of walk leaders is established, Healthy Dearborn will publish a schedule with walk locations and distances to be sent to registered walkers, which will also be posted online. While people are encouraged to join a team, they are welcome to drop-in on any organized walk throughout the week as desired.

The challenge is meant to be in addition to the weekly Walk & Rolls hosted every Wednesday.
According to Gleicher, Healthy Dearborn wanted to launch an event that was a bit more accessible to those who wanted simply to walk. She added that the new campaign is intended for people who don’t want to, or cannot, bike, and stressed the importance of health equity in their events.

“Walking is accessible, costs nothing, and you can do it any time,” she said.

However, individuals are still welcome to walk at the Walk & Rolls.

The eight-week campaign will begin with a kick-off event at 5 p.m. on July 10 at Geer Park, 14767 Prospect St., which is before the weekly Walk & Roll. All are welcome to join, and in attendance will be State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, Council members Leslie Herrick and Erin Byrnes, and Dearborn Public School Board Trustee Adel Mozip.

People are able to register for the “Let’s Get Walking, Dearborn!” campaign ahead of time by contacting Sara Gleicher at 313-378-7052 or at sara.gleicher@beaumont.org. Registered walkers will be given a walking kit, which includes a fanny pack, a lanyard with a badge holder, a walking log and a pedometer.