CITIZEN STAFF REPORT
WARFIELD — The Martin County StoryWalk at the Warfield Walking Trail officially opened Oct. 5 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony near the boat dock.
The Storywalk, which spans from Warfield Park to the boat dock in town, features display cases with pages of a book spread along the trail. Each page continues a story and asks participants to perform a physical activity like jumping jacks or running in place.
The project is part of the University of Kentucky’s High Obesity Program grant. It is primarily made possible by a partnership between the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Cooperative Extension Service, Martin County Wellness Coalition, and Active People Healthy Kentucky, with support from the Martin County Public Library System.
Martika McCoy, family and consumer sciences agent at the UK Cooperative Extension office in Inez, expressed special thanks to the representatives of the UK CDC grant team, Rachel Gillespie, Emily DeWitt and Joann Lianekhammy, as well as Martin County Family Resource and Youth Service Centers, Martin County Public Library and former Martin County Judge-Executive Victor Slone.
Representatives from the collaborating agencies joined McCoy at the kick-off event.
According to Donnie Osborne, president of the Martin County Public Library board of trustees, the library will maintain the books and change them out.
“We hope to do that frequently,” Osborne said.
UK HOP funding provides 10 copies of each featured book. The copies are housed at schools and public libraries around the county.
The first book on the new trail was “Going to Granny’s” by Martin County author Sandra Coleman.
“The StoryWalk serves two major purposes,” said Osborne, referring to increasing exercise and improving literacy. “And when we’re able to pull out local authors, it also shows what you are capable of doing.”
Just in time for the ribbon-cutting, the library switched the book to a Halloween-themed children’s book called “Click, Clack, Boo!” by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin.
Participants enjoyed a scavenger hunt based on the book and received prizes.
Osborne said the library would replace the book for Thanksgiving or Christmas and continue updating regularly.
