A12
The Dalles Chronicle
Weekend of February 22-23, 2020
TheDallesChronicle.com
Healthy
Dalles
The
MOLLY CARTER of Dry Hollow Elementary plays and chats with friends prior VOLUNTEER Ben Neumayer here with the Jansport pack brings up the tail end for students partic-
to walking to school on Wednesday with a group of volunteers who braved ipating in Walk to School Wednesday at Dry Hollow Elementary. The program is aimed at getting
the 26 degree temperatures.
more people moving naturally and alleviating traff ic pressure at drop off s in school zones.
Walk To School Wednesdays
Photos and Story by Tom Peterson
I
t’s 26 de-
grees at
7:10 a.m. outside Gateway Church on
Dry Hollow Road on Wednesday.
“It feels nice when your actually out-
side,” said Molly Carter, third grader. “I
like recess too.”
Molly is one of nine kids who showed up
Wednesday morning for Walk to School
Wednesday, a program spearheaded by
Blue Zones Project Th e Dalles to get kids
moving more.
Molly is here with her mom, Rachel, who
has donned a chartreuse safety vest along
with fellow volunteer Ben Neumayer. Th ey
are providing supervision as the students
walk their way to school.
In 1969, 89 percent of students in grades
kindergarten through eighth grade who
lived within a mile of their school either
walked or rode a bike. By 2009, that number
plummeted to 35 percent, according to the
US Department of Transportation.
Blue Zone’s Flip Mascher said the intent of
the program was to reverse that trend. Th ey
have walk to school Wednesday programs
at each of the elementary schools in Th e
Dalles. He has also arrived on a bicycle to
help with the walk.
“I like to do it,” said Molly’s mom, Rachel
Carter of walking the kids to school. “It
helps me break out of my routine.”
It also gets adults and kids moving natural-
ly – a power principle of Blue Zones which
looks for ways to make healthy choices eas-
ier for people in the community. Th e idea
is based on studies that show people living
longer, healthier, happier lives. And more
exercise helps fi ght child obesity.
But enough of the chit-chat, it’s time to get
to school.
PURPOSE WORKSHOP
March 12 | 5-7 p.m. | Flagstone
Rachel and Flip lead
the group out, and soon
second-grader Makay-
la Henley starts talking
about a husky with blue
eyes.
Th e dog is apparently just
up the street and likes to
lick kids through the
fence. But it’s cold. Th e
dog is a no-show.
Th ere’s other entertainment. Makayla has
a golf ball in her pocket. She showed it ear-
lier to Molly. “It’s an egg,” she giggled.
“Th en how come you could bounce it,”
Molly asked.
er volunteers from Mid-Columbia Medical
Centers Visiting Health Services arrived
bundled up in hats, gloves and coats.
“Seven kids showed up to walk, and you
should have seen what they were wearing,”
she said with a laugh. “We were all
bundled up, and there is this kid in
hat gloves and t-shirt, and he’s per-
fectly happy. Th ose kids had a grand
time going up that hill and stomp-
ing through the ice and snow. And
we’re worried about breaking a hip.”
Kathy, who is the Director of Visit-
ing Health Services at Mid-Colum-
bia Medical Center, said she and
three others from her department
have been volun-
teering with the
program for two
years.
Th e reasons are
simple. It’s good
for the mind
body and soul,
she said. “We
navigating the drop off zone as parents push
to get their kids to school on time.
About 10 to 14 percent of all automobile
trips during the peak morning period are
for or by students, according to the Nation-
al Center for Safe Routes.
So, driving students to school causes more
parents to drive their students to school, ex-
asperating the traffi c congestion.
Back on Dry Hollow Road, two boys have
found lots to keep them moving – a pho-
tograph in the ditch and cans to kick. Up
ahead, there is a house with skeletons and a
bat cave they say.
Neumayer pointed out that was only true
during Halloween.
With that, we have made it to the crosswalk
at 19th Street, and crossing guards fl ag the
students across the street safely.
Rachel Carter sees one of the boys hold-
ing a couple of empty cans and takes them
from him with a laugh. Flip Mascher also
retrieves a few, which will be recycled later.
Colonel Wright walking volunteer Sky
Morgan said he had been volunteering at
diff erent elementary schools for years.
AND SO, IT WENT.
Volunteer Ben Neumayer, who brings up
the rear of the group, said he and his wife
“got real excited” when Blue Zones select-
ed Th e Dalles for a program. “We’ve always
been active and conscious about our health.
“Th is is my Wednesday walk now. We usu-
ally have about 20 kids.”
He also had a little fun explaining the phas-
es of the moon in relation to its position in
the sky to the students before the walk.
Meanwhile, across town volunteer Kathy
Kahler and students are hiking up Trevitt
Street on the way to Colonel Wright Ele-
mentary. “We had 5 kids,” she said. “It was
cold.”
But not as cold as in January. One day, it
was 19 degrees she said noting her and oth-
like to serve our com-
munity…” And it just
made more sense to take traffi c
off the road and put kids on the
sidewalk, especially when they live
within a half mile of their school.
AND HERE’S A MIND BENDER.
Did you know that safety concerns about
students walking to school increase as more
students are driven to school? Th at’s right.
Because of the increased traffi c, parents
become convinced walking or biking is
unsafe. Th ere’s no doubt, many drivers fear
“I do it to give back a lit-
tle bit,” he said. “Kids can
always use an extra adult as a mentor and
someone to talk to. Walking is awesome.
Th e kids are talkative, and I am talkative.
I’ve had conversations start to fi nish where
I barely got a word in.”
Have you been looking for more? Finding a purpose will help you live a more centered and vibrant life. Even better: It can
also give you extra years to enjoy it all. Come rediscover your purpose with us. Join us for this 2-hour instructor led workshop to
help you fi nd or rediscover your purpose. The event is free. It will be held at Flagstone Senior Living, 3325 Columbia View Dr.
The Dalles, in the Riverside Room. Please register on our Blue Zones Project The Dalles Facebook page.
Eat Healthy.
Healthy.
Eat
Be Happy.
Happy.
Be
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