Feeling the need to stretch your legs but Mother Nature’s not cooperating?
No problem whatsoever.
Fort HealthCare is partnering with the Fort Atkinson Community Foundation to provide an indoor Community Wellness Walking Path during the cold and snowy winter season.
The public now has free access to walk at Jansen’s Banquet Hall on the south side of Fort Atkinson. Hours are 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Saturday, Feb. 15 through April 3.
Fort HealthCare Marketing Manager Nicole Leibman noted that in the past, people would come to Fort HealthCare to find a safe place to walk during the winter months.
At that time, she said, “we had logs to see when people came,” adding that the logs showed most of the people using the program preferred walking in the morning.
The program was particularly used by the elderly who didn’t want to be in the elements, Leibman said.
Leibman said the program was in place when she began working at the hospital in 2013.
It was paused last March with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At that time, she said, the hospital was closed to the public.
The program remains paused at Fort Memorial Hospital until further notice.
At Jansen’s, walkers are required to sign in upon arrival and Fort HealthCare staff and volunteers will be on site to monitor walking activity.
Walkers are reminded to wear a facemask, bring dry footwear and practice safe social distancing.
“The rule is that you have to walk; there is no congregating,” Leibman said.
“Inside the facility, there is a large, open space that has a concrete floor and there will be cones set up to show people where they can walk,” she said.
A determination will be made as to how many laps it takes to make a mile, she added.
While some of the volunteers at Jansen’s are employees of Fort Healthcare, others are members of the public.
Bob Cheek, whom Leibman described as an engaged community member, has spearheaded the effort to find volunteers for the program.
“He’s rallied volunteers for us,” Leibman said.
The Fort Atkinson Community Foundation and Fort HealthCare were collaborating to open the vacant ShopKo building for safe, masked and socially distanced community walking this winter, but there is no estimated date for doing so at this time.
Fort HealthCare encourages people to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives. Walking is easy on the joints, can fit into one’s schedule and is inexpensive.
Above: Jansen’s Banquet Hall. Below: Walkers make use of the indoor Community Wellness Walking Path which opened Monday at Jansen’s. Submitted photos.
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