2023 Walk With A Doc Schedule Released

We are pleased to announce the return of one of our most popular programs, our Walk With a Doc on the Indy Greenways. This program offers residents a unique opportunity to take a walk with an Eskenazi physician and learn valuable health tips and pointers, while discovering the beauty of Indianapolis’ diverse greenways.

The national Walk with a Doc program was started in 2005 by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio. Frustrated with his inability to affect behavior change in the clinical setting, Dr. Sabgir invited his patients to go for a walk with him in a local park on a spring Saturday morning. To his surprise, over 100 people showed up, energized and ready to move. Since that first event in 2005, Walk with a Doc has grown as a grassroots effort with a model based on sustainability and simplicity. In 2018, the Indianapolis Greenways Partnership became a local affiliate of the program as part of its programming efforts on Indy Greenways.

To date, walks have been held on the Monon Trail, Eagle Creek Greenway, Pleasant Run Greenway and the White River Greenway. Four walks have been scheduled for the Spring and Fall of 2023:

· Saturday, May 20, 2023 - 1:00 pm- Grassy Creek Greenway

· Saturday, August 19, 2023 – 1:00 pm- Eagle Creek Greenway

· Saturday, September 16, 2023 - 1:00 pm- B&O Trail

· Saturday, October 21, 2023 - 1:00 pm- Pleasant Run Greenway

Dr. Carrie Leathers, Internist and Pediatrician at Eskenazi Pecar Health Center will again be leading our walks. Dr. Leathers has been leading our Walk With a Doc walks since they started in 2018. During the walks, she provides bi-lingual (English and Spanish) commentary depending upon walk participants, and connects with walkers on a personal level about establishing and maintaining healthy lifestyles.

Dr. Leathers is passionate about walking and the benefits it brings. “ Look around the world. In many, many parts of the world, walking is an integral part of daily life, whether walking to work or the market or school. The United States is facing an obesity epidemic and part of this stems from the designs of our cities and communities where it’s not feasible walk as a part of typical daily life. This means we must work hard to find other ways to make time for walking. The health benefits, physical and emotional, are endless.”

The program offers a unique way to experience Indy Greenways and a chance to have meaningful conversations, all while getting some exercise and making new friends. For more information about the 2023 Walks With a Doc, visit the “programs” tab on the Greenways Partnership website at https://www.greenwayspartnership.com/events , or visit the events page of our Facebook page.

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About the Indianapolis Greenways Partnership: The Indianapolis Greenways Partnership is a public-private partnership that provides creative programming which broadens user engagement with Indy Greenways, builds support for the system, and catalyzes further investment in Indy Greenways. The Partnership’s efforts are based upon the premise that providing broad opportunities for residents to engage with the greenways helps to build lifelong advocates, support, and demand for continued investment in the greenway system.

Our Community Partners:

Parks Alliance of Indianapolis

Indy Parks

Indy Arts Council

Jump IN for Healthy Kids

Eskenazi Health

Marion County Public Health Department

CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions

Reconnecting to our Waterways