The Connell Park Walking Club treks and talks with health care professionals about mental health, how family dinners can improve health, and mood changes when the days get shorter and colder.
On Saturday, club members will take their 100th walk and have their 100th conversation.
"Early on, it was kind of an uphill battle to let everyone know that we were here and start building that community, but once it took root, I'm not surprised at all that we're hitting our 100th walk,” said Roxy Brown, recreation access specialist with Valley in Motion.
Valley in Motion, a community improvement group based in Lackawanna County, started the weekly walking club in 2023 to bring the national Walk with a Doc program to the South Scranton park.
Dr. David Sabgir, an Ohio cardiologist, began Walk with a Doc in 2005. Sabgir was frustrated with his inability to affect behavior change in the clinical setting and invited his patients to take a stroll with him at a local park, according to the program’s website.
Lasting friendships and education
In Scranton, medical or health and fitness professionals give five-minute presentations ahead of an over one-mile walk at Connell Park. During the stroll, the professionals answer questions and have informal conversations with walkers.
"We have a couple members who said that the friendships that they've made at that group they can tell are going to be lasting, and really something that has been value added to their life,” Brown said.
Debbie Cron is one of those members. The 54-year-old Scranton resident joined last November. The club takes a break for the winter and she started walking again this year.
“It goes by in no time flat, and you're done already,” she said.
Cron learned about Lyme Disease and balance exercises to avoid falls. She’s had her blood pressure taken before and after walks.
'Enjoy company'
The park is 25 acres and its trails pass through wooded areas. Gus Fahey, president of Valley in Motion, said most people don’t like to walk through the woods alone.
"But here you can walk with a group. You can get out into nature. You can get in tune with parts of our human existence that we don't normally get in an urban environment, and enjoy company,” he said.
Cron agrees.
"Walking with a group is always the best thing to do,” she said.
Fahey said often Walks with a Doc are only once a month.
"But for us, we thought it was important if you want to get people into healthy habits, you have to at least have a linchpin once a week that people can make part of their routine,” he said.
100th walk
The Connell Park Walking Club 100th walk is Saturday at 10 a.m. at the park, 800 Gibbons St., Scranton. Lisa Rigau, R.N., of Healthy Lifestyle Management, will join the walk. Rigau will discuss the pillars of health. The event is free and open to the public. All fitness levels are welcome.
Other Walk with a Doc programs in the region include:
Countryside Conservancy, first Saturday of every month, 11 a.m., Trolley Trail, 25 Church Hill Road, Dalton (Church of the Epiphany Parking Lot).
