Healthy Lifestyle

Walk Kansas

Walk Kansas is a team-based program that will help you and others lead a healthier life. By joining this program, you will have a chance to become more active with family and friends, make better nutrition choices, and walk away your stress. Walk Kansas starts in the Spring each year. For more details in the 21 Central District, contact our FACS Agent, Jennifer Gleason, or your local Extension Office to learn how to sign up for Walk Kansas! Walk Kansas celebrated its 25th year in 2025. The program continues in 2026 with a new online tracking system, new (virtual) trails to explore, and plenty of motivation to help you move more and feel better! Registration will open on March 1, 2026.

Here are the options for joining Walk Kansas:

  • Form or join a Walk Kansas team at your office/workplace, church, school, neighbors, community groups, and family (near and far.) You can participate in Walk Kansas from anywhere – any state or country.
  • Would you rather go solo? Not a problem. You can register and walk solo on one of our virtual solo trails.
  • Your Team Captain will register your team, or you register yourself for the solo trail.
  • When the program begins, log in your favorite physical activities in ‘minutes’ in the online challenge tracker, or report steps from your fitness tracker. You will also log cups of fruits/vegetables you eat daily, and water you drink (optional).

walkks

Stay Strong Stay Healthy

We will host a Stay Strong Stay Healthy Class in Edwards and Stafford Counties. Stay Strong Stay Healthy is focused on improving the health and wellness of older men and women (60 and up) through safe, structured, and effective strength training exercises. Participation in programs like Stay Strong Stay Healthy help to build muscle and increase bone density, helping to prevent frailty and osteoporosis. For more information please contact the Extension Office or Trisha Green, Agent/Director of 21 Central District.

Strong is Ageless

Here’s another awesome strength training opportunity that’ll keep both your body and mind functioning at their best!

When you regularly complete strengthening exercises, you do more than build muscle. You also increase bone density, which is important for preventing frailty and conditions like osteoporosis later. Think of it as an investment in your future self. The stronger your muscles and bones are now, the more resilient you will be as you age, making daily activities easier and reducing your risk of falls and fractures.

We are hosting sessions in both Edwards and Stafford County. For more information please contact the Extension Office or Trisha Green, Agent/Director of 21 Central District. Check our Facebook page for more programming and upcoming events.

Story Walk

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson. StoryWalk® is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. As you stroll down a trail, you're directed to the next page in the story. When you reach the end of the story, we encourage you to take some time reflecting on the story with discussion questions. We include a virtual guest book-so we know who visited!

For more information please visit: http://www.kellogghubbard.org/storywalk

Check out the StoryWalk® locations:

  • Stafford Trojan Trail, near the Elementary School in Stafford
  • St John City Square and/or USD 350 St John-Hudson Elementary Playground in St John
  • Kinsley park hosted by the public library in Kinsley.

For more information please contact the Extension Office or Trisha Green, Agent/Director of 21 Central District.

Seniors Living Well Series:

At the Kinsley Senior Center we discussed how technology can make our lives easier and ways we can use technology safely. Common scams and hacks were highlighted as well as tools to secure our accounts, tips for creating secure passwords, and ways to find our passwords when we need them. If you are interested in a workshop on technology, contact the Extension office or Jennifer Gleason, Agent of 21 Central District.

Art and Mind:

In March 2024, a fun group of women gathered at the Nora Larabee Memorial Library to create art journals. Art journaling uses color, images, and targeted questions to process and express thoughts and emotions that might be difficult to identify in traditional ways. Participants were encouraged to let go of perfection or thoughts of “I’m not artistic,” and instead relax into the process of mixing colors, finding images with meaning, and allowing their minds to think productively. If you would like to attend a future class or host one in your community, please inquire with Jennifer Gleason, Agent of 21 Central District.