By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Northborough – After attending a conference on childhood obesity, MaryEllen Remillard, a library teacher at the Marion E. Zeh School, had a mission to “get kids outside away from electronics and enjoy nature and reading. Ultimately, to keep children active.”
So she decided to write a grant that would help fund a “StoryWalk™” in Northborough.
As defined by the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition, StoryWalk is an initiative that combines a children's story with a popular walking route. It was developed by Anne Ferguson, a volunteer with the coalition. The way the program works is that after a book is selected, the pages are separated, laminated and then attached to wooden stakes. The stakes are then driven into the ground at regular intervals along a path so that readers may follow along with the story as they walk the route.
After Remillard was awarded a Corridor Nine Area Chamber of Commerce grant, she created three walks during the 2010-2011 school year which she installed on trails at Mt. Pisgah.
Sharing Remillard's enthusiasm for combining literacy with fitness is Nancy Kellner, library teacher at the Peaslee Elementary School, and Laura Brennan, children's librarian at the Northborough Free Library. Together, the women set out to create a winter StoryWalk at the Proctor Trail at the Edmund Hill trails system.
Remillard said that they decided on the book, “The Biggest Snowman” by Steven Kroll.
“As librarians we know books well and thought this would be a good choice for children and the season. Nancy Kellner is on the trails committee and she recommended this one. We hiked the trail before we chose the location,” she said.
The winter StoryWalk starts at Edmund Hill and covers approximately half a mile. It is open to the public and will be open until Jan. 3.
For more information on StoryWalks contact Remillard at [email protected], Kellner at [email protected] or visit http://www.kellogghubbard.org/storywalk.html.