Get Fit With A Bit Of Walking In St. Clair Shores

ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI — Let’s face it, staying motivated is half the battle to getting or staying in shape. Doing the same workout by yourself week after week and year after year can be, well, boring. St. Clair Shores residents no longer have to go it alone with a brand new walking challenge designed to bring folks together.

The program, which kicks off May 1, is the first for the Healthy St. Clair Shores Alliance. The brand new partnership brings the St. Clair Shores Senior Activity Center, the Beaumont Health and Fitness Center, The Lake House, South Lake Schools, the Woods Church and other volunteers together with a common goal of getting residents off the couch and into healthier lifestyles.

“For us, it was just getting the community more active,” Carly Podzikowski, director of the St. Clair Shores Senior Activity Center, recently told the St. Clair Shores Sentinel. “To improve and promote health and wellness for those who live, work, play and study in St. Clair Shores and the surrounding areas.

The alliance is kicking off the Walk St. Clair Shores 28-Day Walking Challenge May 1, but it is looking for volunteers to help now, the newspaper reported. The alliance is looking for group walk leaders to register and commit to leading a group walk one day per week for up to four weeks.

Beaumont Health and Fitness’s Peggy Murphy Kurza told the newspaper they are looking for leaders who are friendly, enthusiastic, positive and encouraging. Leaders must also be at least 21 years old and be able to commit to meeting to walk at the same time and location each week during the four weeks of May. They are hoping to get 15 leaders to commit so they can offer a schedule of group walks every day.

“It’s a 28-day commitment. People are going to take a pledge that they will walk on most days in those 28 days,” Kurza told the St. Clair Shores Sentinel. “Throughout the 28 days, we have volunteer group leaders, and every day (the walkers) can look on their schedule and meet up with a group. ... We have found that a lot of people don’t want to walk alone, and that’s one of the biggest barriers that are preventing people from moving and improving their health.”

Those interested in being group walk leaders should call (586) 447-8080 or email hfcscs@beaumont.org. There is a group walk leaders meeting at 6:30 p.m. April 24 at the Beaumont Health and Fitness Center, 25631 Little Mack Ave.

The challenge kicks off May 1 at Veterans Memorial Park, 32400 Jefferson Ave. Pre-registration is encouraged by calling (800) 633-7377 and pressing 2 for registration, or in person at the St. Clair Shores Senior Activity Center, 20000 Stephens St., or at the Beaumont Health and Fitness Center, 25631 Little Mack Ave.

Those who haven’t pre-registered can come to Veterans Memorial Park in St. Clair Shores from 3 to 6 p.m. May 1. The official kickoff will be held from 6 to 7 p.m., with music, a community outreach physician leading the community pledge to walk, fitness instructors and the first walk of the month. The city will waive the need for park passes during the kickoff event.

Photo by an.difal via Flickr Commons