Week 1: April 11- 17, 2022
Welcome to Step it Up!
Welcome to the Step it Up program! We are excited to kick off the 2022 season with this first email. On Friday afternoon of each week, you will receive an email like this highlighting:
• Upcoming group activities
• A couple of fun, park events you are invited to join
• Strength and flexibility movements of the week
• Healthy eating tips
And…a weekly reminder to track your activity. You can record your minutes of activity throughout the week by entering your email on the Step it Up login page found at www.miottawa.org/stepitup or by selecting the Record my Activity box found below.
Select your report week and enter your minutes. The first week is April 11-17. Make sure your weekly minutes are entered by Wednesday of the following week to be entered into the weekly prize drawing!
Scroll down to see upcoming group activities, weekly health tips, and strength and flexibility movements of the week.
Group Walks Begin April 11 👟
At each group walk, there will be four designated walking groups led by a parks staff member or a volunteer. Walking groups are differentiated by the types of trails the group will encounter as well as the distance covered in an hour's time. Guides will travel at a pace that is good for their whole group.
- Group 1: Will travel on paved paths* and/or natural surface trails without much varying topography
- Group 2: Will travel on natural surface trails with varying topography (there may be a few hills)
- Group 3: Will travel on natural surface trails, with varying topography and possible stairs.
- Group 4: Will travel on natural surface trails with more topographic variation, stairs and longer distance.
*All paved paths are ADA accessible
April 11, 7 pm: Group Walk at Hemlock Crossing
Hemlock Crossing, home of the Ottawa County Parks Nature Center, includes 6 miles of trail along the Pigeon River. Trails include ADA paved trails, natural surface trails, some stairs, and elevation. Modern restrooms are available at the trailhead. Dogs are allowed on leash. The Nature Center is open year-round Tuesday-Saturday 9 AM-5 PM and Sunday 12-5 PM. During the winter season, park visitors can rent snowshoes at the nature center or bring their own cross-country skis to explore the winter wonderland. For
 Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing
April 13, 7 pm: Group Walk at Connor Bayou
Connor Bayou is part of the Grand River Greenway and offers gorgeous views, hiking trails, an area to launch a kayak, and is a trailhead for the paved and accessible Idema Explorers Trail. From here you can bike or walk the 4 miles to Riverside Park. Connor Bayou has both natural surface and paved trails. It is stroller and wheelchair-friendly. Dogs are allowed on leash.
 Connor Bayou Woodland Cabin
Upcoming Park Activities
Sunday, April 10, 2 PM to 3 PM - Spring Wildflower Walk at Grand Ravines
Woodland flowers, called spring ephemerals, bloom before the trees leaf out. Join a parks naturalist to look for these spring beauties blooming in our parks. Terrain may be steep in some areas and also muddy.
Storywalks: A Family Fun Activity
Storywalks are a great way to get your whole family outside and walking! Pages from a featured book will be posted along a path for you and your family to read together. Stories are available during park hours.
• Apr 4-17, Hawthorn Pond - Bird Watch!
• Apr 18-24, Ottawa Sands - Thank You Earth
• Apr 18-May 1, Riley Trails - Be A Tree
• May 2-15, Spring Grove Park - When Spring Comes
• May 2-15, Paw Paw (East) - Lola Plants A Garden
• May 16-31,Tunnel Park - Senorita Mariposa
• May 22-31, Grand Ravines (South) - Dogs Colorful Day
 Movements of the week from EcoTrek Fitness 💪
Each week we'll feature a movement, but you can find an 8.5x11 print out of ALL of the warm up moves by clicking here. Also available as a half page 5.5 x 8.5 page here.
Videos of the individual movements and the full warm up can be found here.
  
Tips from Ottawa Food, a Step it Up! program partner
Recipe for Quinoa Salad
https://realfoodcan.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/quinoa-salad.pdf
About Ottawa Food: Ottawa Food is a collaborative effort of over 45 agencies and individuals in Ottawa County to ensure our community has access to healthy, local, and affordable food. Formerly the Ottawa County Food Policy Council, our members come from a variety of backgrounds: public health, food pantries, human service organizations, farmers, community members, Feeding America West Michigan, The MSU Extension, and more. Learn more at OttawaFood.org
 Additional Walking Groups
If you are not able to join us for the weekly group walks, or you are looking to join other group walks, there are two additional opportunities.
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