With the start of Spring right around the corner, Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) in partnership with AARP in St. Louis are inviting older residents who want to get out and explore St. Louis to register for the award-winning CMT Ten Toe Express® program. Featuring weekly guided tours across each 12-week session that mix walking and transit use, the program allows participants to explore multiple cultural destinations across the region in a group setting. Registration for the spring session – which runs April 6 through June 30 – is now underway and can be completed online at www.cmt-stl.org or in-person at one of the six registration events taking place in Shrewsbury and Belleville throughout March. There is a registration fee of $10 that is required to cover a portion of the program costs.
Over the years, the Ten Toe Express® program has helped thousands of older adults and other individuals lead healthier lives by linking activity, sociability and exercise with the use of MetroLink and MetroBus. Each weekly Ten Toe Express® walking tour is led by a trained, volunteer walk leader and ranges in length from 0.3 to 5 miles, depending on the group and destination. Each tour starts from one of six area transit centers: Brentwood I-64, Forest Park-DeBaliviere, Belleville, Rock Road, North Hanley or Shrewsbury-Lansdowne 44. Participants then take the MetroLink or MetroBus to Forest Park, downtown St. Louis, the Delmar Loop, downtown Belleville and other areas (depending on the week), where they explore local attractions and stop for lunch or a snack before heading back. Special walks are scheduled periodically throughout the season. Walking maps with instructions on how to utilize transit to get to many of the region’s cultural and entertainment hot spots are available online to assist those who want to explore areas independently.
First-time registrants receive a walking kit containing a pedometer, maps, transit tickets, and a safety tips flyer in a Ten Toe tote bag. Any individual who opts into receiving information on AARP also receive a special gift, while supplies last. Registration can be completed at www.cmt-stl.org or at the following registration events:
- March 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Shrewsbury Community Center
(5200 Shrewsbury Avenue, Shrewsbury MO 63119)
- March 7 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Belleville Transit Center
(800 Scheel Street, Belleville, IL 62221)
- March 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Shrewsbury Community Center
(5200 Shrewsbury Avenue, Shrewsbury MO 63119)
- March 8 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Belleville Transit Center
(800 Scheel Street, Belleville, IL 62221)
- March 10 from 10 a.m. to noon at the St. Clair County Office on Aging
(201 North Church Street, Belleville, IL 62220) - March 24 from 10 a.m. to noon at the St. Clair County Office on Aging
(201 North Church Street, Belleville, IL 62220
“The Ten Toe Express program has been a wonderful resource for older adults who want to socialize, get moving and become familiar with our region’s transit system,” said Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “Since the program’s inception in 2007, more than 8,000 older adults have participated, with hundreds returning each year. Many of these individuals have built lasting friendships, while learning how to utilize transit to get to several attractions and destinations across the region – a benefit to those who want to remain independent and mobile as they age.”
To learn more about the Ten Toe Express® program, visit www.cmt-stl.org or call 314-231-7272.
About Citizens for Modern Transit
Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) is the region’s transit advocacy organization. It was established in 1985 to help bring light rail to St. Louis and works to develop, support and enhance programming and initiatives to ensure safe, convenient and affordable access to the region’s integrated public transportation system. CMT champions, challenges, encourages and advocates for public transit in an effort to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life in the St. Louis region.
About AARP in St. Louis
AARP in St. Louis is the local connection for AARP – the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people to choose how they live as they age. Locally this is done through virtual & in-person engagement opportunities, legislative efforts on the local, state and federal level, educational resources, and volunteer opportunities. Advocating for and supporting efforts that contribute to creating a lifelong community is at the core of what we do in the St. Louis region. www.aarp.org/stlouis
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For more information, contact:
Kelly Harris
(314)898-8116