Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) – in partnership with AARP in St. Louis – is pleased to announce that a new walking group based out of North St. Louis County is available for older adults who wish to take part in the fall 2023 session of the award-winning CMT Ten Toe Express® program. The walk group is being led by Loretta M. Davis and will meet at the North Hanley Transit Center on select Fridays through Nov. 17. This group will mix walking and transit use, allowing participants to explore multiple cultural destinations across the region in a group setting. Those who wish to join this walking group can register online at www.cmt-stl.org. There is a registration fee of $15 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. There is a total of seven weekly Ten Toe Express® walking tours taking place this fall. Each group 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 an area transit center, and participants then take the MetroLink or MetroBus to Forest Park, downtown St. Louis, the Delmar Loop, downtown Belleville or other areas (depending on the week), where they explore local attractions and stop for lunch or a snack before heading back. 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.
Those who register to be part of the North Hanley Transit Center walking group will meet at 10 a.m. on Oct. 6 and 13, as well as on Nov. 3, 10 and 17. Each walk will end around 1:30 p.m. People of all abilities are welcome, and participants are encouraged to bring water and snacks. The group will also have the option to stop for lunch, which will be at the expense of each participant. Upon registration, walking group members will receive a walking kit, which includes a lime green belt bag, pedometer, maps, transit tickets and a safety tips flyer. Any individual who opts into receiving information on AARP also receives a special gift, while supplies last.
Loretta Davis, who is leading the North Hanley Transit Center group, has several years’ experience serving as a Ten Toe Express® walk leader.
“We are pleased to have Loretta back as a walk leader this fall,” said Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “She led Ten Toe Express walks from North Hanley Transit Center for several years, and her guided tours were always popular among older adults who were interested in socializing, moving and becoming familiar with our region’s transit system. A very active walker herself, Loretta loves exposing people who don’t normally go out by themselves to unique destinations through a mix of walking and transit.”
Since the Ten Toe Express® 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
For more information, contact:
Kelly Harris
(314)436-9090