​Statewide Event Promotes Walking And Walkable Communities

MANCHESTER, NH — The New Hampshire Alliance of YMCAs is proud to be a partner in the annual Granite Walk of Ages on Friday, May 26, 2017. It joins the Governor’s Council on Physical Activity and Health and the New Hampshire Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance as conveners of the statewide event to promote walking and walkable communities. On Friday, YMCAs across the state will host satellite events at their child care and afterschool programs as a complement to the flagship Granite Walk of Ages.

More than 2,200 “Y kids” and over 150 YMCA staff will participate in 35 YMCA Granite Walk of Ages events across the state on Friday. These walks are one way New Hampshire’s YMCA’s have committed to supporting Step It Up! The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities.

The main event begins at White Park in Concord at 10:30 a.m. Participants will walk from White Park to the Statehouse where a proclamation will be read before the return walk to White Park. The Granite YMCA will be hosting Granite Walk of Ages events in Manchester, Goffstown, Londonderry, Rochester and Portsmouth.

Dianne Rappa, a Founding Council Member of the Governor’s Council on Physical Activity and Health and Executive Director of the NH Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, welcomes the involvement of New Hampshire YMCAs.

“The GCPAH greets the 2017 Granite Walk of Ages with great enthusiasm of the knowledge the New Hampshire Alliance of YMCAs has received their second year of grant funding to be our continued partner in this annual event," she noted. "This day and the involvement of all the New Hampshire Ys enhances our combined missions of instilling healthy lifestyles for all our New Hampshire families and providing programs to ensure this positive outcome. Enjoy the day with your Y ‘families’ and I look forward to our continued partnership in the future.”

“The YMCAs in New Hampshire are very excited to be partnering with the Governor’s Council on Physical Activity and Health and the other organizers to promote walking and walkability,” said Michael Lachance, chairperson of the NH Alliance of YMCAs and CEO of the Greater Nashua YMCA. “Last year, we focused on engaging our child care and afterschool program participants in the Granite Walk of Ages. This year, we’re inviting all Y members to take part in our local events around the state. Also this year, we’re introducing participants to a walkability assessment to give them a valuable tool they can use in their neighborhood to advocate for changes that will lead to safer walking routes.”

The New Hampshire Alliance of YMCAs consists of 10 local YMCA associations that, collectively, run ten membership facilities, seven residence camps, and seven day camps throughout the state. They support the healthy development of more than 77,000 youth, teens and adults through a variety of services that help them learn, grow and thrive.