​Wednesday June 29 at 6:30, WLP group walkers will meet at Wells Street off County 2 in Old Frontenac. Owners of St. Hubert's Lodge will give a short history of the Lodge before we take off for a walk around Old Frontenac. Hope to see you there.

Wednesday, June 15, it was a beautiful evening for the second group walk of the season for Walking Lake Pepin (WLP) participants.  The group walked 1.5 miles from the Lake City Sportsman’s Club to the bridge over Miller Creek. 
A beaver dam was discovered on Miller Creek and thanks to Paul Myers information was shared about the valuable contributions beavers make to the environment; including wetland creation and water quality.
 
On Wednesday, June 22, the WLP group will meet at Underwood Park on 10th Street at 6:30 pm and walk through The Jewel with Jim Schreck providing a narrative about the history of the Jewel Nursery adding his memories of working at the Jewel during his youth.
 
On Wednesday June 29, the WLP group walk will explore Old Frontenac.  The group will meet at 6:30 at Wells St just off County 2.  Jeff and Ann Bolin current residents of the lodge, will talk to the group about St. Hubert’s Lodge. The lodge was built in 1855 as a hunting lodge by Israel Garrard, one of the first settlers in Old Frontenac.
 
On Wednesday July 6 there will be no WLP group walk due to the July 4th holiday.
 
WLP t-shirts can now be ordered online at walkinglakepepin@gmail.com.  See the Walking Lake Pepin Facebook page or walkinglakepepin.com for prices and details.   Payment due when shirts are delivered.
 
The 2022 “Walking Lake Pepin” (WLP) community fitness challenge began Sunday June 5. For the next 10 weeks participants are encouraged to start or increase their physical activity by walking, jogging, biking, swimming and doing other moderate aerobic activities to improve their level of fitness and overall health.  Participants who log their minutes or miles of activity over the summer will be eligible for a drawing for Lake City Chamber Bucks at the end of the event.
For anyone who would like to learn more or sign up and participate in the 2022 WLP summer fitness challenge they can find information on the WLP website walkinglakepepin.com or at Treats and Treasures on Washington Street or at Anytime Fitness on 7th Street. 

​Twenty three “Walking Lake Pepin” (WLP) participants met at Hok-si-la Park on June 8 for the first group walk of the season.  Hok-si-la Park is one of the places the group returns to each year as it offers a scenic nature trail, Lake Pepin views and a place to make a campfire to enjoy some S’mores when the walking is done.
This year the walkers made sure to stop by the bench that was placed on the trail in memory of Frank Lupton, a WLP organizer until his passing in 2021.  A maple tree was also planted in memory of Frank this past year and stands prominently near the playground.  The group shared memories of Frank and his special mantra; “The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it’s a great day to be alive.”
WLP is an annual community event that encourages Lake Citians to get physical and be active to improve their fitness, health and wellbeing. 
Over the 10 week event, participants are encouraged to sign up and commit to walking 150 minutes a week, or a new challenge this year is to commit to walking 150 miles over the 10 weeks. You can still sign up and pick up a log sheet at Treats and Treasures on Washington St. and Anytime Fitness on 7th St. or online; walkinglakepepin.com. 

Each week there is a scheduled group walk that all can attend, you do not have to be registered.  This week, Wednesday, June 15 at 6:30 pm the WLP group will meet at the Lake City Sportsman’s on South Oak St and walk down to Miller Creek. 

June 22,  the group walk will be through The Jewel.  Walkers should meet at Underwood Park on 10th St at 6:30 pm. Jim Shreck will share the history of The Jewel nursery as we walk. 

To learn more about WLP continue to watch the Lake City Graphic, Walking Lake Pepin Facebook page and website, walkinglakepepin.com.  Cancellation of group walks due to weather will be announced on the Facebook page.  Questions, contact, Patty Svien 345-4383. 

The 15th annual “Walking Lake Pepin” (WLP) Lake City community summer walking/fitness challenge is scheduled to happen again this summer. The 10 week event will begin on Sunday June 5th and continue thru Saturday August 13th.
 
The goal of “Walking Lake Pepin” is for participants to establish or renew a regular walking, or other exercise routine, to improve their health and fitness. The list of activities eligible to be tracked includes walking, biking, running, swimming, water aerobics or other moderate physical activities that can be sustained for 10 minutes; like pushing the lawn mower around or even Zumba.

This year’s event slogan will be in support of the Lake City 150th Anniversary celebration.  The 2022 slogan is “WLP 2022…Walking the 150 Challenge!” Event organizers hope that the first challenge that will be met is to have 150 people sign up and participate in 2022.

Participants will be given a log sheet to track their minutes and if they turn in their log sheets at the end of the 10 week period they are eligible for a drawing for Lake City Chamber Bucks at the end of the walking event.  There is no cost to sign up.

This year the challenge to those who participate is to commit to walking (or other moderate physical activity) for 150 minutes each week of the 10 week event.

 A second challenge has been added this year; commit to walk 150 miles (approximately 2 miles per day) over the 10 weeks of the challenge.

Any participant who meets either one of these challenges will be eligible for a drawing for Lake City Chamber Bucks at the end of the season. Up to (3) $25 rewards for the 150 minute challenge and (1) $50 reward for the 150 mile challenge will be given away]
Being active and staying active throughout life has shown to reduce deaths from heart disease by 30%, risk of diabetes by 58% and risk of stroke by 24%. Exercise IS medicine! It does not cost anything, it is available to everyone and it is one of the most effective ways to stay healthy and maintain a good quality of life.

Weekly group walks for all Lake City residents and WLP participants will be held on Wednesdays this year.  The group will gather at 6:30 pm to take a walk in different neighborhoods and locations around Lake City. All are welcome whether you register for WLP or not.
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This year’s sign-up location are at Treats and Treasures on Washington Street and at Anytime Fitness on 7th Street.  When you sign up you can pick up a log sheet and weekly group walk schedule.
There is also an option to register online at www.walkinglakepepin.com. A log sheet is on the sign up page and can be printed.
Covid 19 recommendations will be followed per MN state guidelines as needed.

Watch the Lake City Graphic for all the news about Walking Lake Pepin or watch this blog on www.walkinglakepepin.com and on Facebook,
https://www.facebook.com/Walking-Lake-Pepin-140126489392850/ , for weekly updates. 
Call Patty Svien 345-4383 if you have questions.
 
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Walking Lake Pepin will visit Manawa Farm on August 18.  Dag Knudsen and Dierdre Flesche are the caretakers of this beautiful bluff land and will share with the group their mission of building healthy soil and an environment for pollinators through sustainable farming practices.
All community members are invited to attend the group walks. Walkers will meet at Roschen Park at 6:30 on the 18th and carpool together up to the farm.
 
The August 18th group walk will be the finale event for the 14th season of WLP.  For those walkers who logged their minutes of walking over the summer they can bring their log sheets to the event or drop them off at Treats and Treasures on Washington St. by noon on the 18th and they will eligible for a drawing for Lake City Chamber Bucks.
 
There will also be a drawing for LC Chambers Bucks for those who attended the group walks over the season.
 
Please contact Patty Svien, 345-4383, with questions. 
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​The best weather of the season was on display Wednesday evening, August 11, as the Walking Lake Pepin (WLP) group was invited out for a hike at the Seasons Harvest blufftop farm owned by Tim and Jenny Schlagenhaft.  The trail on the farm is named the “Glory Trail”.  It is a mile long and winds through  pastures, pines trees and prairie grasses and provided spectacular blufftop scenery.
Tim and Jenny have been growing garlic, shallots and asparagus for many years at their farm and selling their crop at local Farmer’s Markets.  They have retired from garlic growing this past year but passed their garlic seeds onto Paul Luhmann and family of Whispering Pines Farm who can be found selling the same varieties at the Lake City Farmer’s Market.
Tim explained that sustainable farming practices have been used on the farm.  Native prairie grasses to slow erosion have been planted and they have partnered with a neighboring farm to provide grass pastures for grazing cows. 
Tim walked the group into a wooded area to show how he grows Shiitake mushrooms by drilling a hole in a log and inoculating the log with the fungus.  Several mushrooms were ready to be picked from the log that evening and shared with the group.  
Tim and Jenny were wonderful hosts for the WLP group.  WLP appreciates them sharing their beautiful property and their passion for caring for the environment.
The WLP season final walk and celebration occurred Wednesday August 18th with a walk at Manawa Farm hosted by Dag Knudsen and Deirdre Flesche.  Look for story in next week’s Graphic.
 

This Wednesday August 4th WLP walkers are meeting at 6:30 at Wells Avenue just off Wabasha County 2 (Garrard Avenue) in Old Frontenac. 
Jim Schreck will lead us on a walk to Frontenac Cemetery.
​We might get lucky and see some ghosts of "Frontenac Past"!
Hope we will have some better weather. See u there. Bring a friend.