Age Friendly Tucker: Tucker Walks – Coming Soon

LOIS RICCI

alking is the most underrated, fat-burning, brain-boosting, healthy exercise available for free. Among other benefits, walking at least two and a half hours a week canW • Lessen the risk of dementia • Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and several types of cancer • Improve blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood cholesterol levels • Increase energy and stamina • Boost bone strength and reduce risk of osteoporosis • Prevent weight gain

A group of residents who are walkers, runners, bikers, and hikers heard that Tucker is now a designated “America Walks” city, and wanted to start a “Tucker Walks” program. As one of the leaders of the group, I enrolled in the six-month “Walking College” course that offered classes on walking and health and wellness. America Walks provides technical support on a variety of walking topics, including starting community groups, getting a crosswalk installed, passing a Vision Zero policy, and more. As part of the course, I studied available research on walking, complete streets, and creating safe, accessible communities to walk in, as well as the historical underpinnings of the car-centric transportation landscape and the basics of design and policy of non-motorized transportation. Once I completed my course work, I shared the information with the other members and we began planning the launch of the Tucker Walks program.

Several focus areas will be used to launch the Tucker Walks program. The goal is to get residents of Tucker walking by providing a program that will introduce Tucker to walking routes, gauging distances and levels of difficulty, design walking events, provide access to educational materials relating to walking, create a data base for logging time and distance, and develop innovative tactics that will encourage Tucker to keep moving.

The Tucker Walks Program will promote walking both on defined routes and selfdirected routes as well as providing scheduled events and promoting self-scheduled walks. All walks can be done as individuals or with a group. The walking routes will include sidewalks, paved paths and trails as well as indoor walking options. The team will create a Tucker Walks logo for branding and promotions and a web page as part of the TCA (Tucker Civic Association) website where information on routes, scheduled events, links to other sites, and supporting information can be accessed.

Tucker, as an officially designated Lifelong Community, will add Tucker Walks to its long list of programs for residents. Whether you walk, run, bike or hike, or need a cane, walker, or wheelchair, get out and walk! You’ll think better, feel better and sleep better, and improve your overall outlook on life.

Watch for more information and become part of Tucker Walks!

DR. LOIS RICCI is a longtime resident of Tucker, where she chairs the Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches gerontology courses and the Professional Development in Gerontology Certificate Class. Ricci also serves as an official representative for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), co-facilitator for the Rosalyn Carter CareNet, and on the board of the Atlanta Regional Commission Advisory Committee on Aging. Contact Dr. Ricci at loisricci@ bellsouth.net.