Rachel Wolhers and her daughter, Olivia Wolhers, a fourth grader at St. Anastasia School in Waukegan, had the same reason to participate in the Waukegan Park District’s initial Go Waukegan walk this year.
“I want to keep my heart moving like in gym,” Olivia said, referring to her physical education class at school.
“I want to get my heart moving and get some exercise,” added Wolhers. “We like coming here together and we like the prizes,” she added, referring to the opportunity to receive something from the random drawing at the end of the hour-long event.
Wolhers and her daughter were among the 65 people walking laps around the one-third-mile path Saturday at Hinkston Park in the park district’s annual Go Waukegan walk series designed for the purpose that Rachel Wolhers sought.
Javi Martinez, the park district’s manager of fitness and aquatics, said Go Waukegan is a series of six walks during the year designed to give people an opportunity to get exercise in a different location in an outdoor setting, moving at their own pace.
Martinez said the timing of Saturday’s Go Waukegan walk titled “Splash Into Summer” provided an opportunity for a second event at the north end of the park—Zumba dancing. It was held in conjunction with the National Recreation and Park Association’s Family Health & Fitness Day.
“They’re both an opportunity to get people up and moving,” Martiez said.
With the Splash Into Summer there, there were several sprinklers whirling around near several parts of the path giving people a chance to cool off. Several of the younger walkers took advantage of the opportunity.
Set at the south end of the park, each time a participant passed the start, they were given a ticket for a drawing for prizes awarded after the event. With three trips around the trail totaling a mile, some people logged several miles.
Each participant in the free event received a T-shirt. There were sports drinks and water free for the taking. Drawing prizes included an umbrella, a visor and a free month’s membership at the park district’s Field House Sports, Fitness and Aquatics Center.
Belen Hernandez came from Lake Villa with her daughter, Selena Bahena, a third grader, for the opportunity to try a different park to see if they wanted to make it a more regular stop. Selena knew what she wanted.
“I want to do something healthy,” Selena said.
Another mother-daughter duo was Gabriela Bustamante, 60, a counselor at Waukegan High School, and her mother, Rosa Maria Bustamante, 86. Rosa Maria used a walker to navigate the path as they exercised together.
“I try to do this as much as I can with my mom,” Gabriela Bustamante said. “It gives us a chance to be together.”
“I like doing this with my daughter,” Rosa Maria added. “Everyone has to walk.”
The initial Go Waukegan walk schedule April 18 was cancelled because of rain moving the start of the program to Saturday. Martinez said the next evening is the Wag ‘N’ Walk at 10 a.m. July 11 at Hinkston Park. Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash.
The annual Glow Walk takes place at 6 p.m. Aug. 12 at Bevier Park. Martinez said it is one of the more popular events of the year usually drawing more than 100 people. Everyone gets a glowstick to use as dusk occurs.
Martinez said the final two walks of the year happen annually, but a date and time are not scheduled yet. The Zombie Walk takes place around Halloween and Winter Wonder Walk at the time of the city’s annual Christmas tree lighting.
