Walk for Wellness returns to Milwaukee, promoting healthy minds and bodies for hundreds of kids

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Hundreds of kids from different Milwaukee neighborhood programs gathered at Kadish Park on Thursday, July 28 to work out their bodies and their minds.

It was Milwaukee's 14th annual Walk for Wellness -- the first full event since 2019 due to the pandemic.

The Walk for Wellness is held by the United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee (UNCOM), and was provided to eight of their partner programs.

"You just can't replace being all together in one space, having fun, being positive, and getting some energy out," said UNCOM's executive director, Renee Logee.

In addition to the walk around Kadish Park, this year's Walk For Wellness included games like kickball, a TikTok studio, yoga, mindfulness crafts and a freestyling DJ playing music.

The event is meant to give Milwaukee kids a chance to express themselves in a healthy way.

"Young people in Milwaukee need an outlet, they need something to look forward to, they need positive influences, and that's exactly what these programs offer," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who joined in on Thursday's walk.

While the walk is a good example of physical health, the event focused heavily on the benefits of mental health.

"It will benefit them directly, it will benefit their family, it will benefit the community that they live in. None of these things are done in isolation," Logee said.

Mayor Johnson believes programs like the Walk for Wellness also serve as a public safety effort within the city.

"When kids are engaged in a positive way, the likelihood is that they won't end up in a position where they get influenced by bad actors to do bad things in the community," Johnson said.

CLICK HERE to learn more about UNCOM and their partnering programs.