Parents, students get out for Walk to School Day

By MICHAEL ERB, merb@newsandsentinel.com
PARKERSBURG — Hundreds of students and parents braved the damp chill Wednesday morning and pounded the pavement as part of Wood County Schools’ annual Walk to School Day.

Part of a national program to get families outside and active, Walk to School Day is held each spring and encourages parents and guardians to spend time in the morning walking and talking with their children.

In the past the local event has had a corporate sponsor, but this year’s event was a bit more low-key, with some local businesses donating food and drink items.

At Jefferson Elementary Center walkers were given stickers and treated to breakfast and a parent health fair. Bottled water was donated by Broughton’s and provided through the neighborhood Foodland grocery store. Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital donated pencils that were handed out to students and parents. Members of the Parkersburg High School ROTC helped walkers cross intersections.

Jefferson school nurse Rosemary Scott said Walk to School Day always is a big event for the school.

“We like it here. The kids really like it,” Scott said.

Turnout for the health fair was lower than anticipated, but Scott said she hopes to hold the event again. Representatives of the West Virginia University Extension Office gave out fresh fruit and information on healthy eating habits, while the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department distributed information on good oral health.

Neale School also held Walk to School Day activities this morning. Emerson, Lubeck, Greenmont, McKinley and Vienna schools plan to hold Walk to School Day events at later dates to coincide with other health activities and events.