Greenbelt residents walked approximately five miles together at the first Help Unite Greenbelt (HUG) Walk on Sunday. According to organizer Robert Goldberg-Strassler, the purpose of the walk was to bring the people of Greenbelt together by walking through the city, and he plans for the event to be an annual one.
“[Walking] promotes an environment of dialogue, it provides an environment of just getting out and exercising, and it’s being together in a comfortable environment,” he said. Goldberg-Strassler explained that the focus of the walk was for participants to meet each other and to “embrace Greenbelt.”
Claudette Green-Thompson, who walked with her brother, said she felt energized afterwards. “I see people when I’m on my bus, but don’t really get an opportunity to speak to them,” said Green-Thompson. “This was an excellent idea for us to meet and greet, and talk to people as we walk.”
The walk began at Indian Creek Trail at approximately 1:30 p.m. and concluded at Schrom Hills Park just after 4 p.m. Participants were invited to join at the beginning or any of the five checkpoints along the course. These checkpoints included Springhill Lake Recreation Center, Buddy Attick Park, Roosevelt Center, the Greenbriar Community Building and the Windsor Green Community Center.
Read more of this story in the April 4 News Review.
