Healthy People Portage County has released a walking guide for residents and visitors in Portage County.
The guide, designed to promote walking as a fun, healthy activity, highlights historical and interesting landmarks along six mapped walks in Stevens Point.
"Regular walking can help reverse obesity and heart disease, the leading cause of death in Portage County," said Dr. John Betinis, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP) Health Services physician and a member of Healthy People Portage County.
"Simple lifestyle choices, such as engaging in physical activity, eating foods low in fat, having five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day, avoiding tobacco and getting regular check-ups can greatly reduce the risk and severity of many diseases," he said.
The illustrated walks range from four-tenths of a mile to three miles, and link more than six miles of scenic viewing. The brochure displays routes from St. Michael's Hospital to Maria Drive, to the Wisconsin River, Main, Clark and Brawley streets, connecting to the Green Circle and Schmeeckle Reserve.
Tapping the knowledge of local historian Wendell Nelson and city forester Todd Ernster, the guide provides short descriptions of historic homes, buildings and interesting trees along the way. The watercolor illustrations are by UW-SP Design Center student Barbara Buckel. The project was supported by Ministry Heart Care.
Free copies of "A Guide to Stevens Point Walks" are available at local libraries, bookstores, sports and shoe stores and other local merchants, Ministry Heart Care at 2501C Main St., the Stevens Point Parks and Recreation Department, Schmeeckle Reserve, the Stevens Point Area Co-op and the Stevens Point Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, 340 Division St. N.
Healthy People Portage County is a community health assessment team dedicated to improving the health of its residents. The goal of its Chronic Disease Prevention Team is to increase the percentage of children and adults with regular moderate exercise and healthy diets.
The Chronic Disease Prevention Team developed the "Jump, Jive, Be Alive" radio jingles, and will soon release a low-cost healthy recipes cookbook and a brochure listing farmers who sell locally-grown food.
Healthy People Portage County urges residents to accept the challenge to walk at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Its Web site www.healthysoles.org has pointers on getting started. See also www.wisconsinchallenge.org and www.pbs.org/americaswalking/ for more information, tools and encouragement.