Storybook Trail pairs literacy, exercise

Those who walk, run or bike on the Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail may have noticed signs pop up last Thursday with pages from “Sweet Dreams, Curious George,” a children’s book by Margret and H.A. Rey.

The signs are located near the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau and are part of the Healthy Communities Coalition’s Storybook Trail, which encourages passersby to “get moving, follow the signs and read a story.”

Now in its seventh year, the Storybook Trail is an initiative of the coalition to “engage families in reading by combining the pleasure of reading children’s books aloud with all the joys and benefits of walking together outdoors,” according to information displayed Sunday at the trail.

Maria Davis, a health educator at the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, said coalition members look forward to the installation of Storybook Trail books each year as a reminder for families to get outside for exercise and a way to emphasize the importance of reading.

“We love to see people posting and sharing their time while they’re out there,” Davis said, noting the importance of continuing to maintain social distancing. “But it’s a great way to get outside and enjoy the weather and exercise.”

Anna Galeski, a SoutheastHEALTH representative to the coalition who also serves as Storybook Trail coordinator, said studies show early literacy development is closely linked to a child’s earliest experiences with books and stories. Such interactions, she said, are the building blocks for language, reading and writing development.

“There is no better way to help a child prepare for success in school than reading books with them,” Galeski said. “Physical activity is another essential component for both success at school and a healthy lifestyle. And now with restrictions surrounding COVID-19, the Storybook Trail offers families great interaction in the outdoors, socially distancing while enjoying books.”

The Healthy Communities Coalition began in April 2013 as the result of a community health needs assessment by the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center that identified childhood obesity as a priority issue, according to www.sehealth.org. That year, Storybook Trail was situated around the Capaha Park Lagoon but was moved to the Cape LaCroix trail the next year, according to a representative from SoutheastHEALTH.

The Public Health Center has conducted the community assessment every three to five years, including its most recent assessment in 2018 that outlines mental health, wellness and prevention, and access to health care as its top priorities to be addressed in a community improvement plan, according to www.cgcohealthdept.com.

Davis said as needs are identified by the assessments, the coalition will continue to create programs and initiatives to meet those needs of the community.

The coalition comprises professionals from public and private organizations working to address local nutrition and lifestyle issues, according to the health center’s website.

Some organizations represented in the coalition include the Public Health Center, SoutheastHEALTH, Saint Francis Medical Center, the Community Caring Council, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Southeast Missouri State University, Cross Trails Medical Center, the Jackson School District and the City of Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department.

“It’s really just to get all these different organizations together and work as a team toward these common goals,” Davis said of the coalition’s purpose. “ ... We’ve all identified these as issues in our community, and of course, when we’re working together, that’s how [we] can better answer these complicated issues.”

Upcoming books scheduled to be displayed at the Storytime Trail are:

• May 15 to 21: “Anywhere Farm”
• May 22 to 28: “The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist”
• May 29 to June 4: “Gregory, the Terrible Eater”
• June 5 to 11: “Daniel Visits the Doctor”
• June 12 to 18: “The Berenstain Bears Go Out to Eat”
• June 19 to 25: “From Seed to Pumpkin”

The Osage Centre is at 1625 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/HealthyCommunitiesCoalitions.