The next Walk it Out Cleveland, scheduled for June 4, promises to be an exciting event. The monthly walk, sponsored by the Delta State University College of Education’s Healthy Campus/Community Initiative, a health program funded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, will highlight a competition between two health focused Cleveland businesses, Baxter Healthcare Corporation and Bolivar Medical Center.
The competition will take place at the walking trail in downtown Cleveland. Registration for the walk will begin at 9 a.m., and the walk will be from 10 a.m., – noon. There will be door prizes, giveaways, and face painting.
In addition to the downtown walk, there will be an “Excelebration” beginning at 11 a.m. sponsored by Excel by 5. Excel by 5 is an innovative early childhood community certification process focused on children during their most formative years – birth to age 5. It emphasizes the important roles parents and early childhood educators play in the lives of our children. The Cleveland community has spent seven years preparing to meet the certification requirements for Excel by 5, and this community-wide celebration is the final step in the process. Excel by 5 activities will be set up at the Civic Center Annex, the grassy area beside the post office, and behind the Farmer’s Market. To further highlight the focus on health and wellness, the Cleveland Farmer’s Market will open at 8 a.m., and stay open later than usual for participants in Walk It Out Cleveland and the “Excelebration.”
At noon, from the corner of Sharp Street along Collins Street (the short street that dead ends by the post office) there will be a small parade of groups from local daycares and Head Start Centers, Saturdays in the Park, the Farmer’s Market, Excel by 5 and Walk it Out Cleveland, and other community members who have participated in the efforts to attain the Excel by 5 certification. Lunch will be provided following the parade.
Monthly walks take place the first Saturday of every month as part of a year-long endeavor to create a healthier Cleveland. For more information, please visit our website at www.walkitoutcleveland.com.
Locations vary to highlight the wonderful walking facilities in the community. So–get your shoes ready to take steps toward a healthier life, and healthier community, bring your family and friends, and let’s Walk it Out Cleveland.
