A nonprofit promoting public health for the residents of southern West Virginia by offering an ecosystem of activities led by trained leaders from within the communities they  ser ve.


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September 2018 Free Programs 
Community Captain Lead Physical Activities



Please visit the Active SWV online events calendar here. To follow the events on facebook please click here. 
Active SWV Walking Groups are Ramping Up this Fall
Walking Groups Provide Greater  Opportunities  For Growth 



Explore, Learn, Lead. While walking is commonplace, Active SWV Walking Groups are striving to set it apart. With the mission to explore, learn and lead we are hoping to inspire people to walk more through leadership, education and accountability. 

This September:
Explore: Join Active SWV for a Community Captain guided hike to Long Point at Summersville Lake on Thursday, September 13th at 5pm. View this and all free programming at our events calendar . 

Learn: Join Registered Respiratory Therapist Lisa Emery for an education presentation on being active with respiratory conditions. Learn how to manage youth asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), and other breathing issues while being active.
Meet at the Oak Hill City Park for a 20 minute presentation and then a group walk on the White Oak Rail Trail on Sept 25th at 5:30pm.

Lead: Can you lead your hometown to greater health through leading a Walking Group? Learn more about becoming a walking group Community Captain in your area with Active Southern West Virginia here. 

Please join one of our Active SWV Walking Groups that meet reguarly all over the region:
  • Beckwith - Wednesdays at 10am at the Fayette County Park
  • Richwood - Mon/Tues/Thurs at 5pm at Pratt Park
  • Naoma - Tues/Thurs at 9am at Marsh Fork Alumni Park
  • Victor - Saturdays at 8:30am at Restlawn Cemetery 
Walk@Work & Walk@School in September
A National Day of Activity 


September 21st is the day to get active! The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is presenting their 13th annual  Run@Work  Day, and their 7th annual  Run@School  Day. Whether you run or you walk, the goal is to get moving for 30 minutes whenever you can fit it in - before school/work, during lunch, or after school/work. Join others in this nationwide movement to promote living a healthy lifestyle! Active SWV is all about walking this September so we challenge you and your group/business/organization to walk or run this September 21st. Find out more information about this nationwide effort  here .                                                               
Welcome India Krawczyk
AmericCorps VISTA to Assist Active SWV Kids Run Program


Serving as the Development and Outreach AmeriCorps VISTA, India Krawczyk has started her one year of service with Active SWV to assist with program development. India will be facilitating volunteer coaches needs with the fall Active SWV Kids Run Club program. Elementary schools across the area will begin the before or after school program in the coming weeks. The Active SWV  Kids Run Club  program is customized to each school group and held over 6-8 weeks teaching healthy lifestyle skills and building confidence in physical activity. If you would like to learn more about having a club at your school, please contact  India@activeswv.com .

Read more about India here. 
KVC Health Systems Workplace Wellness Program
A Partnership with Active Southern West Virginia 


Active SWV has been working with KVC Health Systems in Beckley to implement a Workplace Wellness  program. One of the chosen action items is to have a staff walk or hike once a month. In May the group hiked the Fayette County Long Point trail and in August they explored the trails in the Piney Creek Gorge accessed from the YMCA Soccer Complex. 

Contact our office to learn more about starting a Work Walk at you workplace.


Active SWV is pleased to highlight Pat Gagan as Community Captain of the month. Pat recently moved to the area and has been very active in the outdoors all of his life. When he moved here he was struck by the natural beauty and opportunities to be physically active in the outdoors. Pat says he "loves what being active can do for your life".

Pat loves to see people get outside and be active so he joined Active SWV's Community Captain team. He says, "Fitness is fun and not everyone knows that". He wants to help instill this value in the younger generations to carry with them throughout their lives. Pat also says "You don't have to run a marathon, you can just take a stroll, fitness can be fun if you just give it a try."

You can get out for some of that good fun exercise with Pat and Active Southern West Virginia on two different bike rides in September. Pat is leading both programs on the Rend Trail on September 8th at 2pm and the 10th at 5:30pm.



Meet Jack and Jacki Wright, Participants of the Month for September. Jack and Jacki moved to the area two years ago and have participated in many Active SWV hikes and SUP programs. When they first moved to the area they wanted to get into hiking, but were unfamiliar with the trails.  It was this reason they decided to join an Active SWV guided hike. Jacki said it was a "great way to meet people an learn what other people in the area do". 

They were impressed by the knowledge and welcome they received from the Community Captains, and learned some fun facts about the history of mining in our area. Jacki said it was more than getting from point A to B on the hike, there was a social aspect that she liked. She enjoys the journey for the the beauty in nature and says "I am the type of person that wants to stop and photograph the cool mushroom I just passed." 

The two of them are excited about the opportunity to try other programs such as Tai Chi and Refit, and are amazed at all the free programs offered by Active SWV to be healthy.  

View the event calendar here .
Fayetteville, WV Receives an Honorable Mention from The League of American Bicyclists
Safety, Community Awareness and Cycling Accessibility



In the spring of 2018 the town of Fayetteville, WV received an Honorable Mention from the League of American Bicyclists. The Honorable Mention is given to communities who have worked to initiate projects to improves their cyclists' safety, community awareness and cycling accessibility. The Honorable Mention also provided priorities for Fayetteville to focus it's efforts on to assure future designation as an official Bicycle Friendly Community.

Active Southern West Virginia's Pedestrian, Bike and Trail Coordinator, Andy Davis, initiated this effort in Fayetteville to partner with relevant and interested parties to make the community more accommodating for bicyclists and pedestrians. The goals of this partnership are in line with the mission of Active Southern West Virginia, to create more opportunities to be physically active for the residents of Fayetteville. 

These projects will also align with the goals of the New River Gorge Trail alliance to grow the economy of Fayetteville by attracting visitors to the region and strengthening outdoor tourism. Please read more about the Honorable Mention and the Active SWV Bike/Walk initiatives here. 
Active Southern West Virginia  Bike/Walk Trail Resources
Motivate to Walk More With a New Trail This Fall



As a resource to you, current participants, Community Captains, and our partners, the  linked information  has been collected to help you discover all the trails in our region. Enjoy the outdoors through our Community Captain led programs or on your own with family and friends. Information is divided by Nicholas County, Fayette County, Raleigh County and Summers County. 

The Active SWV Bridge Day 5K is Next Month! 
Register Today at: 

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Active SWV events or donating to the 
Annual Fund please click here. 
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