Diabetes Free SC is providing funding to enable the statewide expansion of Kids in Parks, an award-winning program of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. Kids in Parks works with park partners to convert existing trails into TRACK Trails. These updated trails include free, self-guided challenges to make hiking a more engaging experience for kids. The funding will allow Kids in Parks to install one new TRACK Trail and two new TRACK Trail mini sites in each county in South Carolina. Site selection was completed for 10 TRACK Trails and 11 TRACK Trail mini sites. Three grand opening celebrations took place for new TRACK Trails sites.
This project will also support the development of a mobile app so that kids and families can engage with the program wherever they have access to a safe place to be physically active. This effort will also grow a network of pediatricians participating in Track Rx, a physical activity prescription program that supports providers in encouraging their youngest patients to get outside and be active. The first TRACK Rx site was launched at Lovelace Family Medicine in Newberry.
The best part was walking in nature with my friends and our tour guides, Mike and Dawn. We got to see a blue heron.