Health Summit at National Lakeshore's Douglas Center

Date: August 22, 2013
Contact: Kipton Walton, 219-395-1858

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE: National parks like Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore offer many opportunities for positive healthy lifestyle choices for visitors and local residents. Join the National Park Service and its partners, the American Heart Association and the United Urban Network, on Saturday, August 24 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education to learn what some of those positive choices could be for you.

A variety of healthy activities will be available throughout the day including healthy cooking demonstrations, free blood pressure screenings from Methodist Hospital, and nature play for children. Join professional photographer, Michael Gard, for a special guided hike in nearby Miller Woods and learn some easy photo tips and tricks as a great way to combine exercise and art. Gard will lead this fun hike from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. No prior photography experience is needed. Just bring your camera and a sense of adventure. All activities are free and there is no admission to the park or center.

The Health Summit will include local health professionals sharing information through booths and presentations. Participants can learn about the Park Prescriptions program at the national lakeshore, and children will enjoy playing in the new Nature Play Zone. Families who haven’t experienced the new unstructured play area will receive a free Nature in My Neighborhood backpack for participating (while supplies last).

This Health Summit is part of the ongoing open houses offered every Saturday at the Douglas Center. The Douglas Center is located at 100 North Lake Street in the Miller section of Gary. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, contact the Douglas Center at 219-395-1821 or check the park website at www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit.

www.nps.gov/indu

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is one of 402 units of the National Park System ranging from Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore includes 15 miles of the southern shoreline of Lake Michigan and 15,000 acres of beach, woods, marshes, and prairie in the northwest corner of Indiana. More than 2 million visitors come to this national park each year. More information can be found at www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit or contact our information desk at 219- 395-1882.