Get WalkIN'

Walking is a great way to improve health and is also a very simple exercise. Everyone needs 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, three (3) to five (5) times per week to increase and maintain good health.

Did you know?

• Regular walkers have fewer heart attacks and strokes, have lower blood pressure, and have higher levels of healthy HDL cholesterol.
• Thirty minutes of walking a day makes your muscles more sensitive to insulin, thereby lessening changes for diabetes.
• Walking can make you smarter. Physical activity nourishes brain tissue and stimulates its production of neurons, synapses, and blood vessels. Walking may also help lower your chances of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Walking alleviates stress and benefits your mood, and may even ward off depression and anxiety.
• Not only can a walk perk you up when you need it, but it also helps improve your quality of life. Walking regularly can lower your risk of arthritis, macular degeneration, and even cancer by 50%!
• More here https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20046261

Turning your normal walk into a fitness stride requires good posture and purposeful movements. Ideally, here's how you'll look when you're walking:

• Your head is up. You're looking forward, not at the ground.
• Your neck, shoulders and back are relaxed, not stiffly upright.
• You're swinging your arms freely with a slight bend in your elbows. A little pumping with your arms is OK.
• Your stomach muscles are slightly tightened and your back is straight, not arched forward or backward.
• You're walking smoothly, rolling your foot from heel to toe.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20046261

Activity: Tell me what motivates you to increase your walking. Email me at: krichey@purdue.edu

Next Topic: Tips to Keep Walking

• Always walk facing oncoming traffic.
• Use the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, look for a smooth, stable surface alongside the road. If there are guardrails, see if there is a smooth, flat surface behind the barrier where you can walk. If you need to walk on a paved shoulder, stay as far away from traffic as possible.
• Be careful on bridges and narrow shoulders of the road.
• Be sure drivers can see you. Wear brightly colored clothing, and if you walk during low-light hours, such as dawn or dusk, be sure you have reflective material on your clothing or walking shoes, and carry a flashlight.

https://www.visitmarshallcounty.in/recreation

Visit the new website with details on recreation in Marshall County are much more!

Saturday, June 6, 2026
Kiwanis - Plymouth, Indiana is hosting their annual Kids Triathalon in Centennial Park! Here is the link with more information on the event and how to register your kiddos:
https://app.givegrove.com/kids2026

Save the Date!

To find more information and register visit:

https://runsignup.com/Race/IN/Culver/CulverCommunitySchoolsBoosterClubColorRun

Choose between a fun 1 mile walk/run or a 5k. The 1 mile route will run around the Culver Schools Corporation and the 5k route will run through downtown Culver. The race will start at the front of Culver Community High School, Door 32. Both routes will finish on the Culver Middle/High School football field. This will be a fun run with several color stations manned by our athletes ready to toss color powder on you as you pass by! Registration includes a white race t-shirt and neon sunglasses to wear to show off your colors! Join us for the after party on the football field!

Saturdays at 9:00 AM
Centennial Park (meet under the canopy near the tennis courts)
Step away from the noise… and into a peaceful, intentional start to your morning.
This guided Meditation Walk is an opportunity to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with yourself and the natural world around you. Together, we’ll move with awareness, presence, and ease in a calm, supportive space.
What to Expect:
• A mindful 3–5 mile walk
• Gentle guidance to help you stay present
• A welcoming, judgment-free environment
Details:
• Ages 12+
• No pets, please
• Bring water + dress comfortably
->After the walk, you’re invited to stay for an optional tea + coffee gathering, an opportunity to connect and continue the experience.
This event is FREE, we’d love to have you join us.
Come as you are. Leave feeling grounded, clear, and connected

Registration: https://www.facebook.com/events/1609741823662062/1609741910328720/

Save the Date!

Download the digital guides to water and greenspaces, including trails you can walk in Kosc. Co! Check these out as you get started. https://visitkosciuskocounty.org/digital-guides/

There are plenty of activities for kids and families each day of the Fat & Skinny Tire Fest, presented by @K21 Health Foundation!

The Fat & Skinny Tire Festival also includes road bike events, kids events, casual tours and rides, entertainment, and much more. Involvement from the community is second to none in Warsaw and Winona Lake, and there are plenty of non-cycling activities for families and friends to see and do.

Check out the schedule each day and for more information visit fatandskinnytirefest.com.

Join us May 15-17th in Warsaw and Winona Lake, Indiana.

Kosciusko County Freedom Fest will celebrate America's 250th birthday in Warsaw on June 5,6,7 2026 at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds at 1400 East Smith Street, Warsaw, right on Winona Lake.

Join the Stars, Stripes & Steps Challenge or join the Freedom 5K! Information below or visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580110891106

https://link.thestepupapp.com/FFZdNB?fbclid=IwY2xjawRJ745leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe5HlvNeBM50e3Z_QgCevzd280WdLYWFS9tvfFLdaUTMa7p1R5_YDw9TwtyhY_aem_qn49lEUqiUKeDvWTMsVc0g

Date: May 16, 2026

Address: 409 IN-14, Silver Lake, IN 46982

Join the Lilly Center for a wildflower identification hike held on the beautiful trails at Wildwood Acres Land Trust. The Hike will be led by Gavin King, the regional manager for ACRES Land Trust, where he'll teach participants how to identify local wildflowers and plants.

The hike will take place on easy trails with minimal hills; however, comfortable, close-toed shoes are recommended as there will be a lot of walking. The Lilly Center will provide light snacks and identification books to borrow during the event. Spring is in full bloom, so let's celebrate its arrival by learning how to identify its lovely blossoms!

This event is underwritten by Depuy Synthes, Zimmer Biomet Foundation, and City of Warsaw Stormwater Utility.

Disclaimer: Event Photography
We often take photos at events that may be used in future Lilly Center communications. Please tell a staff member if you do not want your photo used in Lilly Center media. Event by Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams https://www.facebook.com/events/2312231295925866

Dates: September 25-27, 2026

Combining the fun of some of our favorite season ending events, this weekend is for the whole community with trail runs, a 6 & 12 hour MTB race, kid’s MTB clinics, Kid’s Night Ride and more If you don’t want to race, ride, or run, that’s ok! Come for great merchandise, kids bike events, live music, and food trucks. All events raise awareness and money for our community to be active in the outdoors at the Hauth Trailhead Expansion and the future Winona Lake Bike Park. You won’t want to miss this great weekend!

Races will be scored and have prizes, but our goal is to have fun and not take things too seriously. This is a fun community fundraising event, thus scoring will not be done professionally, and may require participant involvement and a level of honor code/trust.

There are many more featured events here! Check out the schedule https://kcvcycling.org/initiatives/winona-lake-trails/events/winona-lake-trail-fest/

To submit your steps weekly please use the Google Form link below!

https://forms.gle/AQ6PyziG6jWtiWy97

or

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMsw7ee_kQjkatpnaMkBduGnoDpgSvrWE6aEs2Yi5y0tMnmA/viewform

Input a total of steps for the entire week. You will use the same link each week but please only submit steps for the previous 1 week of steps.

**If the link is not working try copying and pasting it into the browser directly. It looks like Kosc. firewall may be blocking the link from this page***

Karen Richey

Email: krichey@purdue.edu
Website: extension.purdue.edu/Marshall
Location: 112 W Jefferson St, Plymouth, IN, USA
Phone: 574-935-8545
Facebook: facebook.com/marshallHHS

Purdue University is an Equal Access / Equal Opportunity Employer.