Walking groups form at Tenaya Middle School

Community members looking for a free and safe place to exercise regularly now have a new option with the launch of a walking group at Tenaya Middle School.

Under the guidance of Golden Valley Health Center, the group will meet each Tuesday at 5 p.m. to spend one hour walking around the campus in South Merced.

Golden Valley has a long partnership with Neighbors United for a Better South Merced, a group that meets monthly to discuss the needs of neighborhood residents.

Mary-Michal Rawling, director of government affairs at Golden Valley, said the group’s top concern is safety in the community.

People often feel more comfortable in group settings, Rawling said, and getting to know people during walking groups provides more incentives for consistent participation. Having an open, well-lit space with a large group of people creates an environment less vulnerable to crime, Rawling said.

“We’re trying to create a culture of physical activity while making residents feel safe,” said Amalia Madrigal Hernandez, supervising health educator at the Merced County Department of Health.

In the 2016 County Health Ranking study, residents of Merced County were more likely to be inactive than those of other counties in California. Of the 57 counties ranked in the study, Merced placed 55th for quality of life and health behaviors.

A lack of activity can contribute to higher risks for obesity and chronic diseases, and when people lack access to outdoor facilities, inactivity can become a habit. In the health ranking study, by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the key findings report shows various factors like physical environment can affect health outcomes.

“South Merced is very park-poor, and this makes it hard for residents to get the exercise they need to be healthy,” Kathleen Grassi, director for the Public Health Department, said in a statement.

Golden Valley Health Center, with help from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has partnered with Tenaya Middle School to keep school facilities open to the public as well.

“People want to go out and exercise, but they don’t feel safe for various reasons,” Rawling said.

The middle school’s playground, basketball court, baseball and soccer field are open to the public Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to dusk and now have equipment that can be used to play games. On weekends and holidays, the campus is open 6:30 a.m. to dusk.

Ken Cooper, Tenaya’s assistant principal, said it makes sense for the community to use the facilities because many kids live within walking distance of the campus, and the school can provide a safe place for people to walk and stay active.

“They can take their family and get a good exercise,” Cooper said.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 9:50 AM with the headline "Walking groups form at Tenaya Middle School."