SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Healthy Savannah is encouraging the community to stay active this spring.

Every Tuesday morning, rain or shine, Healthy Savannah team members Paula Kreissler and Armand Turner head out to explore local trails and walkways.

Throughout the pandemic, these weekly walks have taken Kreissler and Turner all around Chatham County and into South Carolina while providing an opportunity to stay active.

As part of the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia are participating in the national initiative — Active People, Healthy Nation — to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.

According to data from the CDC, only one in four adults and one in five high school students meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.

The YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Healthy Savannah were awarded the five-year, $3.4 million grant in September of 2018.

Through this funding, the Savannah/Chatham County REACH team is working to close gaps in health disparities with nutrition, physical activity, and community–clinical linkages for populations in Savannah and Chatham County.

“What started as a simple way to get out of the house at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has become an activity I look forward to each week,” Physical Activity Manager for the REACH grant team Armand Turner said.

“It has been amazing to get out and experience our local trails and track the progress being made on the Tide to Town routes, which will provide our community with activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations,” he added.

Hear more from Armand Turner about the Healthy Walk program below:

Bring a mask and join a weekly Healthy Walk or explore the routes on your own using the new Healthy Walks map. Share your walk by tagging your photos and videos with #HealthyWalks and #ActivePeople.

Organizers will also be adding an interactive map on their website so you can explore the trails for yourself.

“The goal is to get as many people walking and actively moving as possible,” Turner said. “We have a lot of fun on these walks. We’re all really good friends, and we enjoy our conversations when we’re out here.

“It’s just a great way to start your morning off with some good energy and good vibes.”

For more information on upcoming Healthy Walks, visit the Healthy Savannah Facebook page.