Walks promote ‘health and wellness’ | News, Sports, Jobs

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry
The Blue Wave of the W4 — Warren General Hospital Wednesday Wellness Walk — moves along Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Blue Wave is washing over Warren to help promote wellness.

The W4 Warren General Hospital Wednesday Wellness Walks are in full swing. The events are held on the third Wednesday of each month during the summer — through September — to encourage people to get outside and get walking.

The next will meet at Soldiers and Sailors Park at noon July 20.

Most participants tend to be from Warren General, but everyone is welcome.

About 60 people braved the heat and humidity on Wednesday, making a circuit from the park, up Hickory Street, across Third Avenue to Liberty Street, and down to Second and Pennsylvania avenues.

There were about 115 participants at the first W4 of the year in May, Warren General Director of Marketing and Business Development George Lilja said.

The event is free and registration is not required. “If you come out, you get a free T-shirt, he said — helping to create the blue wave. Participants were also entered in a drawing for gift cards to local restaurants.

“We’re teaming up for health and wellness,” Lilja said. “Get them out and walking.”

Joining Warren General in sponsoring the event are the Warren County YMCA and Highmark.

With the temperature above 90 degrees at mid-day on Wednesday, participants welcomed the donation of water by Calvert-Pearson.