Walking across the state

Area events part of statewide program

MOSES LAKE — The trails and paths of a few area communities will be packed next month, with locals joining walkers throughout the state for a more healthy community.

Walkers in Lind, Warden and Moses Lake will take part in the Walk Across Washington event, a statewide walk where participants in 85 cities will cover more than 250 miles of ground over a week from Oct. 9-15.

Sally Goodwin is one of the organizers for the Wednesday, Oct. 12 Moses Lake event in conjunction with the Healthy Communities Project, and said the walk is a way to highlight exercise in a country that has seen an epidemic of obesity in recent years.

"Do it as a group, join with all these other people and it's fun," Goodwin said of the walk's attraction. "The camaraderie of walking together, it's fun."

Check-in for the 2- to 3-mile walk through Moses Lake will be at 1 p.m. at the McCosh Park Centennial Amphitheater, and Goodwin has encouraged walk participants to pre-register at the event Web site www.walkwashington.org.

The event will begin with a kick-off celebration, followed by the 1:30 walk down a loop including portions of Third Avenue and the Neppel Park activity trail.

The event is likely to bring thousands of walkers statewide, and Moses Lake organizer Dave Fournier is hoping to attract as many as 100 people to the event in Moses Lake.

"100 people would be great," Fournier said, "anything above that would be awesome."

This will be the second time Moses Lake has walked in the event, and Fournier said it is aimed at trying to introduce walking to people as a simple exercise with great health benefits.

"We're trying to introduce walking as an easy exercise to do," Fournier said.

The Moses Lake event will also be coordinated with a walk to school event area students will be participating in Oct. 5, during International Walk to School Week.

Walk Across Washington will bring walkers to Warden on Tuesday, Oct. 11 and Lind on Sunday, Oct. 9. Melanie Garner with the City of Warden said the city decided to take part in the walk after a suggestion from Mayor Roldan Capetillo. The 2.5 mile trek will begin with a 4:30 check-in at Warden City Hall on Ash Street and continue with a walk around the city at 5 p.m.

Garner said the event is aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle, and many organizers are encouraging people to participate in a challenge and continue walking following the event itself.

Check in for the 3-mile Lind walk will be at 2 p.m. at Lind Community Park, with the walk beginning at 3 p.m. along city streets and trails.