Hike-a-Hundred 2013
Join the award winning Friends of Stark Parks Hike-a-Hundred Club and be one of the proud who can say, “I hiked 100 in my Stark Parks in 2013!” Whether you want to lose weight, meet new friends, or simply get outside – join the club! The 2013 season opened Jan. 1 and the goal is to hike 100 miles on Stark Parks’ trails by Dec. 31, 2013. You can complete the miles on your own, with a group, or at Stark Parks programs.
The walking program was designed to (1) to provide an incentive program to encourage residents to walk (2) to showcase Stark Parks’ wide variety of trails and parks to walkers, (3) to create a corps of friendly walkers to serve as unofficial ambassadors for the park district, and (4) to provide a way for active people with similar interests to meet one another.
The 2012 Hike-a-Hundred Club was full of amazing milestones and provided many wonderful moments for the members and staff involved. Fifty members began the program in January, and by the end of September there were 196 members. Following the January 3 kick-off event, it took 50 members only two weeks to walk over 427 miles. By December, 126 members (64%) had reached their 50-mile goal, and 103 members (53%) had surpassed the 100-mile goal! Fifteen members have over 500 miles each, and the top walker, a female retiree, has walked 1,300 miles!
The Club reached its 10,000-mile goal on June 29, and by December, the Club had 196 members who had walked a total of 27,500 miles! After the Hoover Trail and Middle Branch Trail were opened on June 2, their use by Club members in two months had surpassed their use of the 25-mile Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail for the previous seven months! One member has lost enough weight to halve his cholesterol medicine and has only four more pounds to lose before his doctor says he can stop taking it altogether! Another member has hiked every mile with her dog; the dog has lost 15 lbs and the member has lost weight too!
If you are interested in becoming a part of this amazing club, you won't regret it! You may hike 100 miles on your own, but remember they must be on Stark County Park District trails. For directions and information about your SCPD parks and trails look under the “Explore the Parks” tab. Remember to always be prepared when hiking by wearing comfortable hiking shoes, dressing for the weather, and drinking plenty of water. Stark Parks’ trails are pet friendly, so grab a leash and head out with your pooch!
Curious about Hike-a-Hundred? For more information call 330.409.8096.
Want to join the club? Print and complete the 2013 membership form and return to the Exploration Gateway at Sippo Lake Park.
Already a member? Access club member information here.