Residents of all ages participated in the second “Walk to Prevent Immobility” on November 19.
PHILIPSBURG--In efforts to engage residents to keep active and lead the way in making better health choices, Social and Health Insurances SZV partnered with St. Maarten Police Force Pensioners and Retirees Association (SPFPRA) for this year’s second “Walk to Prevent Immobility” walk-a-thon.
The event took place on Saturday, November 19, bringing approximately 200 health-conscious participants of all ages together to walk for wellness.
“Walk to Prevent Immobility” participants at the start of the early morning walk on November 19.
The event started at 5:00am from the APS parking lot in Philipsburg. The walk-a-thon offered participants a warm-up and cool-down session facilitated by SMMC’s fitness instructor Stacy V. and a long or short route, with a distance of either five kilometres (km) or 7km.
Edward Jacobs, President of SPFPRA, said, “The association is thankful for the work of our volunteers and partners, especially SZV’s team, to make this second event a reality. It was a great morning, witnessing the large turnout once again for the walk-a-thon. It is important for all of us, at all ages, to prevent immobility and to stay active. We are happy with the turnout and seeing the community move with us.”
The proceeds gathered by the association will create more accessible events for members and seniors, making it easier for vulnerable groups to stay active, learning and connected in the community. For this edition, General Pension Fund of St. Maarten APS and St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) joined SZV and SPFPRA as partners.
Director of SZV, Glen Carty once again participated in the walk-a-thon. “It was another great walk-a-thon and community event,” he said. “It was a great way to start my day, connecting with my team and brainstorming about the next big wellness initiative for our community. I hope we can gather an even larger turnout next time.”
The board of SPFPRA and management of SZV thanked all the participants, volunteers, supporters and other donors who contributed to this event.
Photos and videos of the event are available on SZV’s Facebook page.
