Elkins Mayor Van Broughton walks in the Phil Gainer Community Center. The city of Elkins, Elkins Parks and Recreation and The Inter-Mountain are promoting Marching Through March, as a way to encourage walking and physical activity during what traditionally is the last and most brutal part of the winter season.

ELKINS A new free wellness program is about to step off at the Phil Gainer Community Center, thanks to a partnership between the City of Elkins, Elkins Parks and Recreation and The Inter-Mountain.

Marching through March debuts today, as a way to encourage walking and physical activity during what traditionally is the last and most brutal part of the winter season.

We at the City of Elkins and Elkins Parks and Recreation are thrilled that The Inter-Mountain shares our commitment to lifting up the community by encouraging people to exercise more and live healthier lives, said Chris Lee, the community centers manager. For many people, staying active through the winter even a mild one like this is no easy task. Hopefully this program will encourage local residents to lace up their walking shoes for Marching through March.

The center will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday through Thursday during March. There is no fee to participate in the walking program, and The Inter-Mountain is sponsoring $25 gift cards for four lucky individuals: one with the most steps, one with the most laps logged, oldest participant and youngest participant.

Prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the program, which ends March 30. The deadline to submit entry forms to The Inter-Mountain 520 Railroad Ave. in downtown Elkins is April 5.

Walkers can keep track of their progress and enter the contest by filling out the form in todays Inter-Mountain.

New entry forms will be available every Friday in the Inter-Mountains Inter-Tainment guide.

Only one form is needed per participant, as this contest is based upon the cumulative total during the month-long March though Madness program.

Entry forms must be original from the newspaper and may be returned to The Inter-Mountain office at 520 Railroad Ave. Elkins, WV 26241.

Individual wellness improves the health of a community, which can play a huge role in improving overall community wellness. A community that is focused on wellness is more equipped to shed the societal issues that currently plague our community like drug addiction and various health problems, Lee said. We hope Marching through March can serve as a launching pad at the Phil Gainer Community Center to implement desirable programming that seeks to address various facets of community wellness in hopes of making Elkins a better place to live and play.

For more information, call The Inter-Mountain at 304-636-2121, ext. 104 or the center at 304-635-7151.

The facility is located at 142 Robert E. Lee Ave. Ext. near Elkins Middle School and in what used to be the armory in the city. Purchased by the city in 2016, it was recently renamed to honor Gainer, who served as the EPRC director for 42 years.

Gainer was set to retire at the end of December but unexpectedly passed away on Nov. 22 after suffering a heart attack while hunting.

Following the City Councils vote earlier in February, Mayor Van Broughton said Gainer was influential in his life and helped him reach the position to which he currently serves.

At this time, I wish I was in a council seat where I could vote on it, but I cant vote. Of course I approve of this, Broughton said. The seat Im sitting in right now, Mr. Gainer had a lot to do with it. When I was a young man and I visited the park, I saw who he was and what he was about. He and I became friends. He was one of my best friends. Its a bittersweet vote, right now, for me. Its the right thing to do.

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City, IM, Parks and Rec team up to promote healthy lifestyle - The Inter-Mountain