HONESDALE - It’s one of the most popular indoor fitness programs around and this year, participants in the In-School Walking Program have one more venue to choose from. Wayne Memorial Hospital, which coordinates the program with area schools, added EverGreen Elementary School in Lake Ariel, bringing the total number of schools to nine.

The program has expanded considerably since it started more than a decade ago. It began with a few schools and ran only through the winter; now, the Walking Program runs the entire school year, from early September through May 24, 2012, and counts more than 500 registered participants.

Open to anyone who wishes to walk, here’s how the program works. The following schools welcome walkers from 6pm to 8pm Monday through Thursday. Each school has a log-in book. Walkers are encouraged to sign in each time they walk. 

• Damascus Elementary School, Damascus
• Lakeside Elementary, Honesdale
• Preston Elementary, Lakewood
• Western Wayne Middle/High School, Lake Ariel
• EverGreen Elementary School, Lake Ariel
• RD Wilson Elementary, Waymart
• Wallenpaupack Area High School, Hawley
• Wallenpaupack South, Newfoundland
• Forest City Regional School, Forest City

The program, a partnership between Wayne Memorial Hospital and Wayne Highlands, Western Wayne, Wallenpaupack Area and Forest City school districts, also offers free presentations at the schools on health-related topics, such as cardiovascular fitness and eating for long-term health.

Annual registration is required for the program. There is a one-time $5 fee for processing ID badges, which are re-usable from year to year.  If schools are closed for any reason, walking is canceled. For more information and registration, call (570) 253-8990.