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NorWALKERs know
no age restrictions
The HOUR
Friday, May 16, 2008
By JILL BODACH
Hour Staff Writer
The Norwalk Department of Health is
telling children in Norwalk to "take a
walk."
On Thursday, the health department
unveiled its 14th NorWALKER walking route.
The walking routes are part of the health
department's Become a NorWALKER
program, which encourages Norwalk
residents to incorporate walking into their
daily lives.
"Our newest route is different because it has an urban adventure map accompanying it that is specifically
designed for kids," said Gabrielle Grode, healthy lifestyles associate at the Norwalk Department of Health.
The children's route extends from the Ben Franklin Center on Flax Hill Road to Flax Hill Park, a distance of
.4 miles. The map provides entertainment and activities for children to perform on the walk, such as
clapping their hands, swinging their arms, counting items they spot along the way and identifying animals
that cross their path.
The 3- and 4-year-olds in NEON's Head Start program at Ben Franklin were the first ones to try out
the children's version Thursday. The walking component is part of a larger program -- the Healthy Active
Positive Playful Kids Program -- in which the children have participated since March.
The program was financed by a $10,000 General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids grant.
Carolyn Banks, education coordinator for NEON Head Start at the Ben Franklin Center, said the
youngsters have really embraced the program.
"We've taught them how to make healthy snacks like smoothies, vegetable dip and sliced apples, and
they've really enjoyed it," Banks said. "Even though they are young, I think they are really absorbing what
they are being taught, and because their parents have embraced the program, the things we do in school
are being done at home."
The teachers at Ben Franklin have benefited from the program as well, Banks said.
"We've taken exercise classes and learned about healthy eating ourselves, so when we tell the kids
about eating healthy, we have the experience of doing it ourselves," Banks said. "It's really been great."
In addition to the kids' route, there are also two extended routes for adults covering the same
neighborhood, each one mile in length. The adult route provides a historical narrative of the area, as do
the other NorWALKER routes.
For more information on the Become a NorWALKER program, visit
www.norwalkhealth.com/walkingroutes.
Jill Bodach is a features and general assignment reporter. She may be reached at (203) 354-1046 or
jbodach@thehour.com.
no age restrictions
The HOUR
Friday, May 16, 2008
By JILL BODACH
Hour Staff Writer
The Norwalk Department of Health is
telling children in Norwalk to "take a
walk."
On Thursday, the health department
unveiled its 14th NorWALKER walking route.
The walking routes are part of the health
department's Become a NorWALKER
program, which encourages Norwalk
residents to incorporate walking into their
daily lives.
"Our newest route is different because it has an urban adventure map accompanying it that is specifically
designed for kids," said Gabrielle Grode, healthy lifestyles associate at the Norwalk Department of Health.
The children's route extends from the Ben Franklin Center on Flax Hill Road to Flax Hill Park, a distance of
.4 miles. The map provides entertainment and activities for children to perform on the walk, such as
clapping their hands, swinging their arms, counting items they spot along the way and identifying animals
that cross their path.
The 3- and 4-year-olds in NEON's Head Start program at Ben Franklin were the first ones to try out
the children's version Thursday. The walking component is part of a larger program -- the Healthy Active
Positive Playful Kids Program -- in which the children have participated since March.
The program was financed by a $10,000 General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids grant.
Carolyn Banks, education coordinator for NEON Head Start at the Ben Franklin Center, said the
youngsters have really embraced the program.
"We've taught them how to make healthy snacks like smoothies, vegetable dip and sliced apples, and
they've really enjoyed it," Banks said. "Even though they are young, I think they are really absorbing what
they are being taught, and because their parents have embraced the program, the things we do in school
are being done at home."
The teachers at Ben Franklin have benefited from the program as well, Banks said.
"We've taken exercise classes and learned about healthy eating ourselves, so when we tell the kids
about eating healthy, we have the experience of doing it ourselves," Banks said. "It's really been great."
In addition to the kids' route, there are also two extended routes for adults covering the same
neighborhood, each one mile in length. The adult route provides a historical narrative of the area, as do
the other NorWALKER routes.
For more information on the Become a NorWALKER program, visit
www.norwalkhealth.com/walkingroutes.
Jill Bodach is a features and general assignment reporter. She may be reached at (203) 354-1046 or
jbodach@thehour.com.
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Children ages 3 to 5 from the Head Start program at Ben Franklin Community Center follow a new walking route Thursday morning developed by the Norwalk Health Department as part of its Become A NorWALKER program. |
