Submitted by Kathy Garrett

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm neighbors gather at the North Rosedale Park Community House to walk and exercise their way to a healthier life.  As a pilot program sponsored by the Healthy Environments Partnership (HEP), Walk in the Park is one of the first of its kind to combine community with research toward promoting heart health in Detroit neighborhoods.  At the beginning of the 8 month program, HEP conducted health screening of the participants.  “HEP will check us out in the end and see if there are any improvements,” said Gloria Goodwine, North Rosedale Park resident and Walk in the Park coordinator.   According to the HEP website, this free program, open to any Grandmont Rosedale resident, is designed to “examine and develop interventions to address aspects of social and physical environment that contribute to racial and socioeconomic disparities in cardiovascular disease.”

Walk in the Park meets at the Community House because, no matter the weather, participants can get their exercise.  “I did my two miles!” said Betty Redditt of North Rosedale Park on a rainy Monday in April.  The participants were following along with an exercise tape because of the inclement weather.  Betty liked the variety in the exercise:  “I like the tape because it gets my heart rate up, and then there’s a cool down, and then it ramps back up again.”  Theresa Wallace of North Rosedale Park saw the benefits of the program as well:  “This is my second session.  It’s good for the cardio, and fun!  I love it!”

Just as the group was breaking up, a young couple came in.  They were hoping to exercise too, but had the time wrong.  They were disappointed but soon relieved as Gloria showed them where they could sign up for next time.  For more information on the Walk in the Park program and the times, contact the HEP coordinator at 313-971-3990 or the NRPCA office at 313-837-3416.

 


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