Let's Get 1 Million Indigenous People Moving!

Contributed by: Diabetes Health Walk
Date: 6/16/06

Our Annual Health Walk is on August 12, 2006. It is a two-mile walk designed for participants of all ages and fitness levels. The health walk has been an annual event since 1979 and was started by Hazel Dana, RN, who worked here at our tribal clinic, as a way to get tribal members moving toward better health. The health walk promotes physical activity as a diabetes prevention activity and has been sponsored by the Pleasant Point Health Center since its inception. Participants are given a mini health screening (height, weight, BP and diabetes finger stick) and in turn receive a shirt to wear the day of the walk. 

Each year a new design for the shirt is selected by the tribal elders based on submissions by the youth at the tribal school. We are most excited about the level of interest and participation by the tribal as well as local communities, as well as seeing friends and relatives joining together to walk for themselves and for those who are not able to do so because of complications from diabetes.

The event starts outside of the Pleasant Point Health Center and with the assistance of the Pleasant Point Police who close down US Route 190 for the event. Communities involved are: Pleasant Point and surrounding communities have people participating, and Tribal members who are home for the "Indian Day" festivities of the Passamaquoddy Tribe also participate.