Open Streets encourages healthy activities for fun
Sep. 18—People can start roping, skating, hopscotching and dancing in the streets Saturday around Depot Green.
Open Streets Muskogee, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature a variety of exercise and relaxation activities.
"It's really an event to get kids and families out and active," said Muskogee Wellness Initiative Chairman Josh Cotten. "We want to get people more active, eating healthier and to be tobacco free."
Cotton said people get healthier when they get active.
"It just leads to better overall health, and better mental health," Cotten said. "They live longer. People feel better. Kids get into active habits, and hopefully healthier and making better decisions."
There will be an activity zone and a relaxation zone.
Activities would include a hula hoop challenge, street jump rope challenge, yoga and tai chi.
Kent Kamp, who operates Training Kamp exercise program, said several gyms will be at Open Streets.
"It's for families that might be intimidated by going to a gym, to introduce people to a wide variety of exercises they may or may not have an opportunity to experience," he said. "I'll teach some chair exercises and Theraband exercises I do, answer questions on health, fitness, nutrition. I'll pass out water, make sure everybody else feels welcome."
Cotten said Muskogee Public Library will present a Story Walk, where youngsters read a different page while walking a path.
"Connors State College will present Roping for Dummies, promoting the equine industry," he said.
Muskogee Wellness Initiative is working with Cherokee Nation and others to put on the event.
The 2023 Open Streets was held in conjunction with the LocalMotion fall arts festival, which will not be held this year.
"The whole goal of the event is to just reclaim that part of Muskogee again, shut down streets so we can encourage kids to be active and play," said Shaiannea Downing, public health educator with the Cherokee Nation. "We have a lot of partners on our Muskogee Wellness initiative, and each of those partners have reached out to people in the community, local business owners, gyms and people who just share the same mission and goals to just come out and offer either a game or some sort of relaxation activity, so kids would be more likely to come out."