Walking Club combines fitness with social benefits

Forget about the gym. The best way to really get into shape is by doing the one thing that most of us take for granted every single day—walking. For those fortunate enough to walk free of pain, it can be one of the best things that you do for yourself as it strengthens your muscles, reduces your blood pressure, and keeps your weight down. And while the benefits for younger people are very positive, the benefits can be even greater for older folks. That’s where the Gardena Walking Club comes in. Although primarily for seniors, the Gardena Walking Club is open to all age groups. “We’ve had young mothers join us with their toddler and elementary school-aged children, as well as a caretaker of one of our seniors who is also a young mother, and even one senior who would be accompanied by her young adult granddaughter,” said Layne Wakuta of the Gardena Senior Citizens Bureau. Wakuta leads the walks every Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve located at the south end of Arthur Johnson Park. The Club, which has an average member age of 60 years all the way up to the late 80s, began on June 10, 2021 with six members and has grown in less than a year to a membership of 20 to 25 weekly walkers. The increase in members can be attributed to the positive effects of walking that many of the members experienced after taking that first stroll. “Our members are very appreciative of the walking club as it gives them the opportunity to enjoy a nice, leisurely walk in a beautiful location and a friendly environment,” Wakuta said. “Some of our members are overcoming serious health issues and have experienced how the walk has helped in their recovery and healing. One of the walkers says that walking and picking up trash is part of their weekly exercise. But beyond the physical benefits of the walking club, there are bonds of friendship that are being formed between members. The social aspect of the club is just as important as the physical.” The Gardena Walking Club, which will celebrate its one-year anniversary in a few months, began when the Gardena Senior Bureau was looking for activity ideas for its members during the COVID-19 pandemic that would provide an opportunity for safe outdoor physical activity and socialization for the senior population to prevent feelings of isolation during the shutdowns. The Gardena Willows provided the perfect venue and the Walking Club provided the perfect solution to the issue of isolation as members could freely gather together to experience the great outdoors. When we first started planning for the walking club, we initially thought about going to a different park or location in Gardena every week, which would also include the Willows,” Wakuta said. “But then it was decided that we would partner exclusively with the Willows and walk there every week. We first thought the walks would soon become monotonous, but there is literally something new to see every week. We’ve been able to see the seasons change from the dry summer, then the pools of water from the recent rainstorms, and now the blooming of various flowers and budding of trees in spring. We also have seen and or heard various wildlife, such as raccoons, birds, frogs, butterflies, and the orb weaver spiders in October. We also help the Willows by picking up trash that blows in from the surrounding streets.” While improved health, the opportunity to socialize with new friends, and experiencing Mother Nature up close and person are great benefits, there are other benefits to being a club member that are tied directly to their level of achievement. Wakuta said that on their fifth walk, members receive a free water bottle and on their 10th walk, members receive the official Gardena Walking Club T-shirt. After 15 walks, members receive the Gardena Walking Club cooling towel and after 20 walks, members receive the Gardena Walking Club bush hat. To attract new members, the Club has posted flyers at parks, libraries, churches, and senior housing developments in Gardena. Flyers were also distributed at February’s Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, which Wakuta said led in an increase in firsttime attendees to the Walking Club. Currently the Club continues to use the Gardena Willows as its main venue but members have expressed interest in taking walking field trips to other local area parks. “So far the only other Gardena park we have walked at is Rowley Park, which was a nice change of pace,” Wakuta said. “Other locations we’d like to visit are Madrona Marsh in Torrance and the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes. Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Gardena Walking Club can register at www.cityofgardena.org/events. Look for the Walking Club under Senior Events or Willows Wetland Preserve. Those interested can also call the Senior Citizens Bureau at 310-217-9552 or send an email to seniors@cityofgardena.org for more information. You can also just show up on any Thursday and join them.