Walking club returns to PCHS halls

Sheri Trusty
·3 min read
In the summer, Dick and Rosella Stein mow their lawn and tend their many flowerbeds to stay active, but in the winter, they join Walking Club at Port Clinton High School. Here, they walk the halls on Dec. 15.
In the summer, Dick and Rosella Stein mow their lawn and tend their many flowerbeds to stay active, but in the winter, they join Walking Club at Port Clinton High School. Here, they walk the halls on Dec. 15.

PORT CLINTON — In 2002, during a meeting between staff from Port Clinton High School and Magruder Hospital, the idea for an in-school, community walking group was voiced. Magruder was looking for ways to help the public develop healthy living habits, and school staff was drawn to an idea that would help connect the schools to the community. That year, Walking Club was born.

“We had a meeting with Magruder, and they said, ‘There’s mall walking. Why not hall walking?’” said Jan Gluth, director of student, staff and community development . “They said it would be great to have something for the community, so we started Walking Club.”

The public is invited to walk the halls along designated routes from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday and Thursday. The times coincide with longer class periods so that walkers don’t face the tide of students changing classes and to keep a healthy distance between the two groups.

“We started having walkers come during the longer class periods right after COVID so there’s no interaction between students and walkers,” Gluth said. “We kept it that way because it works.”

Before COVID-19, a couple dozen people walked the high school halls

Prior to COVID-19, Walking Club often attracted a couple dozen walkers each week. Now, that number is much smaller, and Gluth is hoping to let the community know that Walking Club is fully up and running. The club gives local residents a safe and warm place to walk, especially when the weather is bad. As an added incentive, a Magruder Hospital nurse attends Walking Club the third Thursday of each month to offer free blood pressure checks.

Rebecca Votino, director of surgery at Magruder Hospital, checks Dick Stein’s blood pressure after he walked the halls of Port Clinton High School on Dec. 15. A Magruder nurse offers free blood pressure checks during Walking Club on the third Thursday of each month. (Photo: Sheri Trusty/Correspondent)
Rebecca Votino, director of surgery at Magruder Hospital, checks Dick Stein’s blood pressure after he walked the halls of Port Clinton High School on Dec. 15. A Magruder nurse offers free blood pressure checks during Walking Club on the third Thursday of each month. (Photo: Sheri Trusty/Correspondent)

“This is just a nice partnership,” said Rachel Fall, Director of Community Outreach for Magruder Hospital. “This is such a nice thing to offer to people so they can walk inside when it’s bad out there.”

Students greet walkers at the main entrance

On Walking Club days, teachers Amanda Spears and Kaley Rexroth bring their students to the school’s main entrance, where they greet walkers and hand out ID badges. Greeter Brie Holmes said she enjoys having the opportunity to see the different people who come for Walking Club.

“I just like greeting the community,” said greeter Michael Dusseau.

Spears said student Peyton Howard is very social and enjoys the chance to interact with community members, but he had another reason to look forward to his greeter duties.

“I love school because of my teacher, but I like getting out of the classroom,” he said.

Spears said getting out of the classroom to greet walkers is a beneficial activity that helps her students develop life skills and gives them socialization opportunities.

“It gets them involved with different members of the community,” she said.

Among the Walking Club members who walked the halls on Dec. 15 were Port Clinton alumni Dick and Rosella Stein. Dick is a 1946 graduate, and Rosella graduated in 1947. They said they are glad the school gives them a place to exercise when the weather prevents them from walking outside.

Port Clinton High School student Peyton Howard greets Walking Club member Pam Migot and gives her an ID badge at the school’s main entrance on Dec. 15.
Port Clinton High School student Peyton Howard greets Walking Club member Pam Migot and gives her an ID badge at the school’s main entrance on Dec. 15.

Senior citizens find halls are a safe, warm place to walk

“We just love to walk, and we need to walk to keep ourselves going,” Rosella said.

Dick said they need to keep moving “because we’re not as young as we once were.”

In the summer, the Steins mow their own lawn and tend their many flowerbeds, but winter forces them to find creative ways to stay active.

“I can’t imagine sitting around and watching TV,” Rosella said. “This is so nice because it lets us walk outside of the wind.”

Walking Club is offered every Wednesday and Thursday that school is in session. If school is canceled or delayed, Walking Club is canceled. Participants must enter through the main entrance where they will sign a waiver form and receive a walker badge. The program ends promptly at 10:30 a.m.

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Walking Club returns to PCHS halls