American Trails recently featured an article on QCTrails.org in their monthly newsletter which circulated to over 10,000 people across the country. They have invited speakers from the Quad City Health Initiative, Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Bi-State Regional Commission to speak during their June webinar entitled "Leveraging Cross-Sector Partnerships and Technology to Develop a Healthy, Vibrant Trails Community." The follow text is a synopsis of the event:
"Communities across the country are seeking to promote their trails and natural spaces as part of an overall effort to create a healthier community. Leveraging cross-sector partnerships and new technology platforms can assist with this goal. This webinar will explore QCTrails.org, a free, user-friendly, interactive, and mobile-responsive website which serves as a comprehensive resource that highlights multi-purpose trails, parks, and side-paths in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Users can track their physical activity progress in real-time and share their experiences with friends through social media. This webinar will feature the impact that a site like QCTrails.org can have on the health of a community for both residents and visitors.
Nicole Carkner, Executive Director of the Quad City Health Initiative, will provide background on how the community health assessment for the Quad Cities has repeatedly identified nutrition and physical activity as key priority areas of opportunity for the health sector. She will also detail the impact of forming coalitions made up of cross-sector organizations and how they have been instrumental in the development of QCTrails.org.
Lisa Miller, Data/Graphics/GIS Director of the Bi-State Regional Commission and project leader for the Web-Based Interactive Trails Map, QCTrails.org, will present how QCTrails.org opens trail experiences to all members of the community regardless of age or ability and offers perfect opportunities for Quad Cities' residents to move more and be active outdoors. Additionally, she will speak to the technological aspects of QCTrails, as well as how QCTrails fosters strong connections with trail managers throughout the community.
Joe Taylor, President and CEO of the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, will speak to the impact trails can have on creating a healthy community by supporting local businesses and economies through tourism. He will offer insight on the many benefits a trails website can offer to communities throughout the country."
Date: Thursday, June 23rd
Time: 12 - 1:30 CST
Cost to Register: Free for American Trails Members/$55 for Non-members
If you would like to register for the event you can do so on the American Trails website here. For those interested, please note that American Trails has offered us a limited number of complementary registrations for this event. If you are interested, please contact the QCHI office as soon as possible so we can get you registered! Thank you and have a great day!
(submitted by Elizabeth Plumb)
