BERLIN—The Berlin Parks
Commission and Worcester County Health Department are inviting anyone
interested in physical fitness, or as Berlin’s Deputy Administrator Mary Bohlen
put it, “Just a pleasant walk on an autumn Saturday morning,” to come to
Stephen Decatur Park on Nov. 9.
For the second year, the town is hosting the free community fitness program
“Just Walk Berlin,” starting with a 9 a.m. on-site registration. While the
exercise activity is self-directed and self-reported, the Just Walk events are
designed to be a fun way to encourage residents to leave the chaise and chase
some leaves, along with their friend and neighbors.

Warm-up exercises will begin from
9:30-9:45 a.m., and the walk will last until 11 a.m.

Many of the excuses for not
exercising have been eliminated. The park is located at Route 113 and Tripoli
Street and lack of parking is no excuse—it’s just across the street. The
walking trail in the park is made of a composite from scrap tires and makes
walking the 1-mile track a low-impact exercise. The rain date for the Berlin
event is Nov. 16.

As further incentives, the organizers
will give free step counters to the first 50 participants. The participants will
also be offered healthy lifestyle information including healthy eating,
physical activity, diabetes prevention information, and tobacco users will get
free Quit Smoking Kits, organizers said. Bohlen said the inaugural event
attracted 30 walkers last year.

Mimi Dean, chronic disease
prevention program coordinator for the Worcester County Health Department, said
the Just Walk Berlin event is one of three sponsored by the department,
including the “Safe and Healthy Walk,” which was held in Snow Hill’s Byrd Park
in October, and the “Tortoise and Hare Dare,” which will be held in Pocomoke in
April 2014.

Participants will also be able to
sign up for the department’s ongoing Just Walk program, Dean said. By registering
in the program, participants will receive a physical activity tracker to log their
physical activities in daily logs of miles or minutes for prizes. She said
health experts recommend at least 10,000 steps (5 miles) per day, or 150
minutes of moderate to intense physical activity, to maintain a healthy
lifestyle.

The tracker information can be
turned in monthly, or to redeem specific prizes, according to Dean. Prizes,
including a baseball cap or visor, lunchbox, step-counter, sweatshirt, T-shirt
or water bottle, depending on the milestone achieved.

Individuals can pre-register for
the Just Walk Berlin event by calling 410-632-0056.