New Community Walking Program Starts in November
Through a collaboration
between William Newton Hospital and Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce, a new
community walking program called Downtown Doc Walks will start Thursday,
November 3 at 4 pm at the chamber office located at 123 E. 9th Ave.
Downtown Doc Walks is free
and welcomes participants of all ages. Meet-ups will take place on the first
Thursday of the month with the goal to walk one mile. Each walk starts with a quick
health talk by a local healthcare provider and is sponsored by a different
Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce business. Walks start at the chamber office
with a stop at the sponsoring business for a healthy snack.
William Newton Hospital’s
Director of Marketing, Strategy, and Communications Sarah Johnson says the idea
of a community walking program with an outreach component from local healthcare
providers has been on the hospital’s radar for more than four years.
“Walking is one of the best
things you can do for your health, and the hospital has been considering a community
walking program for a while,” Johnson says. She explained that the concept was
identified in the 2018 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to help improve
healthy lifestyle choices for Cowley County. “A program was in the works, but the
pandemic really caused our focus to be shifted.”
Johnson says a community
walking program was identified again in the 2021 CHNA and work began in early
2022 to get it going.
“The enthusiasm shown towards
launching this program has really made puzzle pieces come together,” Johnson
says. “First the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce came on as a partner, then
we received two grants – one from William Newton Healthcare Foundation and one
from RISE Cowley.” She continued, “In addition, chamber members have stepped up
to sponsor walks, Winfield Coca-Cola has donated bottle water, and healthcare
providers are signing up to share health tips with our citizens.”
Winfield Area Chamber of
Commerce CEO Sarah Werner says the concept is a “win-win” for the community.
“This program helps bring
awareness to our downtown businesses and local healthcare providers while
bringing people together to be active,” says Werner. “The chamber is an
advocate for our health coalition, RISE Cowley, and supports the efforts to address
our county’s health needs. It was a no-brainer to help move this project
forward.”
On November 3, pediatrician
Dr. Todd Peters and sponsor Union State Bank will front the inaugural Downtown
Doc Walks. Pharmacists Dared and Renee Price and sponsor Graves Drug will host
the next walk on December 1.
“Now, we’re asking people to
mark their calendars for every 1st Thursday at 4 pm, grab their
comfortable walking shoes, and come out for a stroll and a snack,” Johnson states.
Werner encourages chamber
members to support their employees in participating in the walks. “We
identified the late afternoon to make it easy for families with children to
participate, but we also hope employers will allow staff to take an extended afternoon
walking break.”
According to the CDC, adults
need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes
of vigorous physical activity, or an equivalent combination for substantial
health benefits. Johnson says the hospital’s work with RISE Cowley and WorkWell
KS has taught them about the importance of creating opportunities for employees
to be active.
“Getting physical activity
into your routine can be challenging, especially when we spend over half of our
day at work,” explains Johnson. “When workplaces support their staff in making
healthy choices, it can result in reduced health risk, reduced healthcare
costs, increased productivity, and increased employee engagement and morale.
It’s our goal that Downtown Doc Walks will inspire people to move more while
helping them stay accountable.”
The brief health talks will
be presented by local physicians, physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners,
pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals. No pre-registration is
necessary. A Facebook group has been created for participants to stay up-to-date
about the monthly walks. In the event of inclement weather, walks will be relocated
to the Winfield Recreation Commission gymnasium.
For questions about Downtown
Doc Walks, contact Sarah Johnson at William Newton Hospital at 620-222-6262.
