Spring Into Action! Community & Health together in one place!

Today’s post was written by University of Indianapolis Community Health student, Kelley Sprinkle, who just joined HealthNet for a summer internship.  She shares her experience below on the preparation, anxiety, and pride felt during the Spring Into Action walking event put on at Southeast Health & Dental Center.

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As one of the program planners for Spring Into Action, I was excited to see the kick-off day had finally come. After brainstorming and creating this event for several months, everything was ready and waiting for the final puzzle piece to be put into place.

The morning of April 30, we set up for the kick-off day. The set up went smoothly and we were anxious to see if our hard work would draw in people from the neighborhood. We were thrilled to see that the lobby was filled with people waiting to register before the kick-off began at 10!

At registration, participants filled out a survey that asked various questions about their walking habits. Also at registration, participants received a bag that had a booklet, pedometer, and a snack for them to enjoy. The booklet had seven walking trails that were created to help participants know where to walk and the distance of each trail. Also included in the booklet were safety tips while walking and pages where participants can log their daily steps.

The pedometer is a device that someone wears to keep track of their daily steps. The recommended daily amount of steps for an adult is 10,000 steps, and a pedometer is an easy tool to show a person how to keep track of their steps.

The walking trail for the kick-off day was found in the booklet the participants received at registration. The trail had four stations along the way:

Each station had stamps they could collect for stopping there. If participants collected all four stamps, they got a water bottle.

One idea we had planned was that we would guide the participants in groups on the trail, but most of them knew their way around the neighborhood. I was lucky! There were a couple of participants who were new to the area and wanted a guide. By walking with them, I could see for myself what our finished product looked like. My group was so nice and we talked the whole time we were walking the trail!

There were about 60 participants, adults and children, who joined us on the kick-off day. Everyone who registered for the walking program will receive three mailings to help encourage and remind them to get their steps in. The first mailing was sent out last week, so participants can look for the second mailing soon. There will be a weekly walking group on Monday evenings starting at 5:30. The first walk is on Wednesday, May 25. Everyone is welcome to join. It is a great way to get your steps in and to meet some of the fellow program participants and neighbors!

This experience was great. We as students got offered this amazing idea, and we helped it come to life. The Community Health Education department at the University of Indianapolis wants to thank all of those at HealthNet who had any part in helping us create this program. We hope that Spring Into Action will continue to be a successful program in the future.

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Want to learn more about the Spring Into Action Walking Club?  Click here.

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