Walk the Villages steps into its third year
by KIMBERLY M. KARCHER Clarence Editor

In its third consecutive year, the Walk the Villages program will continue to support healthy living through exercise as well as economic success by promoting local businesses throughout towns and villages in Western New York.

"The Walk the Villages program, started by Sen. Mary Lou Rath three years ago, promotes health and fitness," said Jon Leamer, coordinator of Walk the Villages 2007.

"The adjunct benefit to a program like this is that it promotes tourism in your own back yard. The Walk the Villages program gets people in our neighborhoods and in our communities where they can patronize local businesses and at the same time increase their level of exercise," he said.

Villages participating in the Area 1 program include Clarence, Akron, Batavia, Kenmore, LeRoy and Williamsville. The program runs run through Oct. 1.

As in past years, the program encourages all residents both young and old to get out and Walk the Villages.

And, the idea is simple: Everyone needs exercise and walking can help you live a longer and healthier life.

Each village will have locations where participants can pick up a booklet that includes maps, community events, calendars, profiles and historical routes that can be walked.

Step one is to start walking.

Step two consists of recording your progress by using the "walking log" at the end of the booklet. The total time and number of steps your first week serve as the starting point.

The third step is to mail in the walking log when you have completed the program to receive a certificate of completion.

While on a Walk the Village trip, walkers then stop by participating businesses and have their prize coupons stamped. At the end of the "walking season" each village raffles off door prizes to walkers who have the appropriate number of coupons stamped. Grand prizes are raffled off to those who have walked all six villages.

"One of the great things about Walk the Villages is that you do it at your leisure," said Leamer. "It's an opportunity to tour areas you may not know about, to visit shops you may have never heard of and it provides a social aspect because it is something you can do with your family or a group of friends. Each booklet has a little history section about each village so it's also a cultural learning experience for the walkers."

According to Leamer, more than 3,000 people participated in the program last year.

"To the best of our knowledge, 80 percent of the people who 'walked' through Williamsville were not from the area," Leamer said. "So it's beneficial for the merchants to get involved in a program like this."

The Clarence Hollow Association is the facilitating organization behind promoting Walk the Villages 2007 in Clarence as well as other participating towns and villages.

The program's popularity has proven true as it has expanded to include an Area 2 for its 2007 stint, which includes walking trips in Orchard Park, East Aurora, Lancaster, Ellicottville and Alden.

Leamer said that additional towns such as Hamburg and the Tonawandas have shown an interest in getting involved in the future.

Dick Rich, regional director of the Walk the Villages , said he is pleased the program is extending into the Southtowns this year.

"This is the third year for Walk and the Villages and we are looking forward to another great year," Rich said. "We are excited to expand the program to the southern area and look forward to even more villages and towns to join us in the future."

Rich said the program is a way to encourage exercise while promoting businesses and tourism within participating towns.

"First and foremost we want to encourage health by walking," Rich said. "Walking is considered to be a great way to exercise, and since you are up and out walking, there is no better way to visit some of the communities of Western New York and walk the trails and see the different landmarks that make each of these towns so different."

Rich also said the committee adds to the Walk the Villages experience by offering prizes to participants.

"There is also the opportunity to win grand prizes for those who are willing to visit all the communities involved. We encourage all Walk the Villages participants to visit the different trails, walkways and towns and at the same time promote healthy living through walking," Rich said.

To learn more, visit www.walkthevillages. com

e-mail:kkarcher@beenews.com