NeighborWalks Kick-Off Experience
Submitted by Cathy Harms on Fri, 2006-09-01 07:50.
Participants could even have their faces painted at the NeighborWalks kick-off! This little tiger proudly shows off his brand new NeighborWalks t-shirt and pedometer.
It all started three weeks ago when I spent an entire beautiful Rochester day in my house. Other people were outside chatting with neighbors, tossing a Frisbee, and enjoying the blue skies and fluffy clouds overhead. Serendipitously, a friend tells me about the NeighborWalks kick-off event. Free exercise and door prizes! Sign me up!
We begin the kick-off at Riverside Central Elementary (home base for future NeighborWalks tours). I have come unprepared—in work clothes and no thirst quencher for the journey. Luckily, RNeighbors has it covered for folks like me. They set me up with a groovy NeighborWalks cotton t-shirt, bottled water, AND a free pedometer!
How long is this walking tour? This concerns me, because even though I like to walk, I really like to be lazy. Walking tours are one hour, every Tuesday until the end of January. Each week brings a new theme—gardens, neighborhood history, nutrition and exercise, neighborhood safety and more. So don’t be surprised if you learn something.
After the walking tour of the SE neighborhood winds down, everyone meets back at Riverside Elementary for snacks (courtesy of Panera Bread). Some of the children forgo the food spread for more artistic pursuits like face painting. They return to the group, their cheeks adorned with painted rainbows, just in time for door prizes.
RNeighbors is all about making neighborhoods better. NeighborWalks is about discovering the origins of the neighborhood you moved to years ago, noticing a cool bug on the sidewalk, getting to know the neighbor you’ve noticed from afar, learning anecdotes about your city, getting out and exercising, and having fun.
So bring your neighbor, ex-neighbor, sister, brother, cousin, or friend. Make it your personal mission to bring the joy of walking back to each and every Rochesterite. You get the idea.
NeighborWalks meets every Tuesday until January at 6:30 p.m. at Riverside Elementary School. Walking tours are free and open to the public.
I plan to be there next Tuesday, ready to walk and meet new folks. I hope to see you there!
