Erie ~ Yesterday, the Erie County Department of Health & VisitErie have put together a fun program to get people moving (kids, too!) this summer.  Let’s Move Outside! encourages area residents to get outside and explore 10 trails throughout Erie County.

“It’s an innovative program promoting healthy living and physical activity through the use of public art, local history and outdoor recreation.”

It works like this:  You register at www.letsmoveoutside.org. Then, you walk, run or bike the 10 trails and find the artist-designed marker along the trail. Write the ten-digit pass key you’ll find on the marker into your passport (don’t forget a pencil/pen). Log on & enter the passkey as you complete each trail. When you do all 10, you’ll be automatically registered for a grand prize (including a mountain bike).

The program runs June 1 through October 20 and the trail locations range from Corry to North East to Girard and Union City, among others.

The Lets Move Outdoors passport gives you all the details you need — the trail location, distance, history and more.

Passports are available at: Erie County’s Public Libraries, the YMCA of Greater Erie and its branches, the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, VisitErie, Erie Yesterday’s member historical societies and museums, and the offices of Harborcreek Township, Fairview Township, North East Chamber of Commerce, Corry Area Chamber of Commerce, Asbury Woods Nature Center, Girard Borough and Washington Township.

Complete rules & more info here. (They have a  Facebook page, too.)

I hope you’ll all support this really cool effort to promote physical activity in an entertaining & educational way.

Kids would love to do this — looking for markers, discovering the codes, etc.  It would be a great summer adventure for families or grandparents!