The mayors of four towns along the Elk River Trail gathered on Wednesday at the Dundon trailhead near the town of Clay to sign a proclamation dedicating their communities to fitness and providing access to outdoor areas to exercise. Clendenin Mayor Kay Summers, Clay Mayor Josh Shamblin, Gassaway Mayor Richie Roach and Sutton Mayor J.D. Hoover signed the proclamation signifying their support for creating activity-friendly activities within their communities.
The event was a collaboration between the Elk River Trail Foundation and the American Heart Association to bring the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) “Active People, Healthy Nation” initiative to the Elk River area. According to the CDC, increased physical activity can improve health, quality of life, and reduce health care costs. Regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of at least 20 chronic diseases and conditions and provide effective treatment for many of these conditions.
The initiative was spearheaded by Julie Warden, Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association. Warden was instrumental in influencing the mayors to publicly declare their support and organizing the event to focus on the need to exercise and use the Elk River Trail as a way to inexpensively improve personal health.
Last summer, five new exercise stations were installed along the trail between the Dundon Trailhead and the Jones Brothers Memorial Bridge near Hartland. The equipment allows trail users to perform pushups, sit-ups, pullups and more as they walk, run or bike the trail. Funding for the exercise equipment was provided by a grant from the WVU Clay County Extension Service. The three other towns are also considering installing exercise equipment along the trail.
The Elk River Trail runs along the Elk River on the former railroad from near Sutton to just below the town of Clay. Another section is completed from Queen Shoals four miles south to the town of Clendenin. The section from Queen Shoals to Clay is expected to be completed early next year forming a contiguous 54-mile rail trail.