The next time you’re at a select park in Elkhart or Kosciusko counties and you see a bench, Goshen Health encourages you to “don’t just sit, get fit.”
The health care provider on Monday announced a new Park Bench Fitness Program. In 25 parks, Goshen Health has erected signs near existing benches. The signs have a QR code you can scan with your phone that links to videos showing easy exercises that can be done using the benches.
The videos are around 40 seconds long and are also available in Spanish. Each shows a different exercise.
Stacy Bowers is community engagement manager for Goshen Health. She said the project was funded by a state grant aimed at reducing obesity levels in the community. That leads to a range of health problems, such as heart disease, a leading cause of death.
“How do we use this common asset found in all of the parks to create an easy program?” Bowers said. “People are interested in being more active at a park. This is a very easy, simple way that they can do that.”
Goshen Health is still looking for parks to partner with in Noble and LaGrange counties. Interested communities can contact the health system to learn more.
