PEOPLE
WALKING ON SUNSHINE: TUCKER VOLUNTEERS FORM AN
ALL-AGES MOVEMENT TO WALK FOR WELLNESS
By Logan C. Ritchie
At the height of the COVID
pandemic, there were two
fail-safe modes of socializing:
virtual meetups or meeting
outdoors. Lois Ricci, a
Registered Nurse, expert
on aging and professor of
gerontology, heartily engaged
in both.
Her buoyancy and vitality
are not surprising to those
who know Ricci, an 80-year-
old Tucker resident. She never
stops asking questions and
she loves listening to different
perspectives.
During the pandemic, Ricci
helped bring America Walks to
her community.
The national program
focuses on improving access
to public paths. Ricci believes
getting people walking will
help improve their health.
Her goal is to build all-ages
walking groups across Tucker
and to conclude the year with
a community celebration in
November.
“It’s not about age,” Ricci
said. “It’s about aging well.”
Her first step was to take a
six-month leadership course
called The Walking College.
Participants were paired
with mentors to learn the
historical underpinnings of
a car-centric society, basic
design and policy of non-
motorized transportation and
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APRIL 2022 I ATLANTASENIORLIFE.COM
Lois Ricci and her husband John walk
daily in their Tucker neighborhood
(Photo by Logan C. Ritchie)
how to create safe, accessible
communities.
Next, participants created
a blueprint for taking action
in their communities. Ricci’s
message is that anyone of any
ability can be active.
“Anybody can be out there
walking,” Ricci said. “Whether
you have a cane or a walker
or a wheelchair, you should
be out there socializing and
interacting.”
Ricci enlisted volunteers to
promote walking through a
committee she chairs, Tucker
Lifelong Community. It’s
an arm of the Tucker Civic
Association that focuses on
maintaining an age-friendly
community designation
through the World Health
Organization.
A walking program fits right
in, using seven of eight domains
to address barriers to seniors’
wellbeing and participation
in their communities. The
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