A staggering 51% of all Lewis Countians are considered obese- a number 18% higher than the state average. In addition to this 35% of the population is considered physically inactive. This continually unhealthy lifestyle leads to more premature deaths as a result of health complications.

In order to help remedy this problem, the Lewis County Extension Office took on the task of building a community coalition to shrink the waistlines of the population over four years. Armed with a hefty grant from the Centers for Disease- the county has been fighting back hard. With the help of a new community coalition aimed to fight obesity, various projects were implemented in the county in order to help people live healthier lives.

In a previous walk audit with a national expert on walk-ability, Mark Fenton, it was identified that children in the county had no area to congregate and play safely. After school the only options children had for exercise were walking on dangerous county roads or through subdivisions. Based on recommendations from Mark the Lewis County CDC Coalition decided to take action and two brand new parks were provided for the Garrison and Tollesboro areas.

Not only do the new parks help parents and children get out and play, but they also provide a source of family fun to those who typically aren’t able to do so. Each of the brand new playgrounds is handicap accessible.

Since opening the playgrounds are heavily used. Small infrastructure changes such as these can lead to healthy habits that last a lifetime.