by Caitlyn Prusack
Pam Santer and her health and wellness group "Rocked the Park" Saturday in downtown Parkersburg for the Park Day event and walked away with grand prize.
A two block area on Market Street in downtown Parkersburg was closed to motorized vehicles and designated so that community members could safely bike, walk, run and play. Members from different organizations were given a "pocket park," which included their own idea of a place where people could sit and rest while they parked their bike. Community member who signed up for this experience could vote on their favorite pocket park.
Santer and her group of students worked weeks in advance for the event hoping to educate the community on how important physical activity is and to promote a healthy lifesyle. Their pocket park contained trees with birds nests, hay bails, bike racks, park benches, shrubberies, a sand box, and a multitude of bicycle helmets.
The bicycle helmets were an important part of the pocket park. They were given to the health and wellness group through a grant from the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley and used to educate parents and children how to properly put on a helmet. The children walked away with not only happy faces, but a free bicycle helmet and the knowledge of how to safely ride.
"Park Day was a cool vision of what downtown Parkersburg should look like but unfortunately doesn't. Although it's not there yet, downtown needs more of what we did to get the concept of living a healthy lifestyle into people's heads," Tony Maslany said who worked hard all day with sizing helmets on children and adults.
"The fact that people voted for us gave me the feeling of success. It's my main goal to educate people on a healthy lifestyle," Santer said. She also said that she was glad to have achieved her main goal which was to share activities and concepts with the community.
Along with the success and meeting goals,Santer was recently asked if one of her students could accommodate the Meyer's Bike Board because the organizers were thrilled about their performance of the day.
With obesity and lack of exercise being a statewide issue, Santer is more determined than ever to educate the community and students. She has upcoming events right here on campus. One in which a professional organizer will come to campus during the week. It will be open to faculty, staff, and students.
Pam Santer and her health and wellness group "Rocked the Park" Saturday in downtown Parkersburg for the Park Day event and walked away with grand prize.
A two block area on Market Street in downtown Parkersburg was closed to motorized vehicles and designated so that community members could safely bike, walk, run and play. Members from different organizations were given a "pocket park," which included their own idea of a place where people could sit and rest while they parked their bike. Community member who signed up for this experience could vote on their favorite pocket park.
Santer and her group of students worked weeks in advance for the event hoping to educate the community on how important physical activity is and to promote a healthy lifesyle. Their pocket park contained trees with birds nests, hay bails, bike racks, park benches, shrubberies, a sand box, and a multitude of bicycle helmets.
The bicycle helmets were an important part of the pocket park. They were given to the health and wellness group through a grant from the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley and used to educate parents and children how to properly put on a helmet. The children walked away with not only happy faces, but a free bicycle helmet and the knowledge of how to safely ride.
"Park Day was a cool vision of what downtown Parkersburg should look like but unfortunately doesn't. Although it's not there yet, downtown needs more of what we did to get the concept of living a healthy lifestyle into people's heads," Tony Maslany said who worked hard all day with sizing helmets on children and adults.
"The fact that people voted for us gave me the feeling of success. It's my main goal to educate people on a healthy lifestyle," Santer said. She also said that she was glad to have achieved her main goal which was to share activities and concepts with the community.
Along with the success and meeting goals,Santer was recently asked if one of her students could accommodate the Meyer's Bike Board because the organizers were thrilled about their performance of the day.
With obesity and lack of exercise being a statewide issue, Santer is more determined than ever to educate the community and students. She has upcoming events right here on campus. One in which a professional organizer will come to campus during the week. It will be open to faculty, staff, and students.