What is Sumter County Active Lifestyles?

Sumter County Active Lifestyles (SCAL) is a nonprofit community-based coalition of representatives from city and county agencies, local businesses, health care, law enforcement, media, nonprofit organizations, associations and local residents, working to make it easier to be physically active in Sumter County.

SCAL advocates for places to exercise for all people of Sumter County, such as parks, trails, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes. We work to increase awareness about the things the county has to offer that make it easier to get outside and be more active. We promote the message that physical activity includes routine, day-to-day activities like walking, biking, washing your car, or gardening.

Mission Statement

Promote health and quality of life in Sumter County by advocating for a community environment that supports physically active lifestyles for all citizens.

Overall Goal

Priority Issues:

• Promote a bicycle-friendly community
• Promote a pedestrian-friendly community environment
• Promote an overall active community environment
• Expand outreach to underserved areas to address disparities in supports for physical activity
• Maintain community education activities and general advocacy efforts
• Achieve sustainability of the coalition to promote active community environments

History/Background/Committees

Sumter County Active Lifestyles (SCAL) resulted from a grant awarded to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC)-Region 4 from the University of South Carolina-Arnold School of Public Health-Prevention Research Center (PRC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Funding began in 1998. SCAL receives its own budget from the university. In January 2006, the grant moved from SCDHEC to the Sumter County Recreation and Parks Department (RPD), and RPD funds a full-time project coordinator and part-time administrative assistant.

To determine how to best achieve our goals, SCAL conducted numerous community audits, surveys, and assessments in which a cross-section of county residents' opinions was collected. We continue to develop partnerships with various groups in the community to provide safe and enjoyable places to exercise and to develop community programs. For example, SCAL and the City of Sumter coordinate an Adopt-A-Park Program; we join with the Sumter Mall to implement the Heart & Soles walking program; we host Cycle Fest in partnership with the Sumter Safe Kids Coalition and local cycling groups; and we co-sponsor the Wednesday Walkers community walking program with various city and county agencies and businesses.

SCAL currently operates through two committees:

• Bike-Walk focuses on increasing public awareness of trails, locating and identifying areas for walkways and bike paths, and advocating for and promoting the use of pedestrian and cyclist facilities.
• Accessibility and Outreach focuses on assisting communities with limited resources in determining ways to improve and increase physical activity opportunities for their residents. This committee also offers mini-grant opportunities. Mini-grants have been awarded to six community groups since 2004. Our 2008 mini-grant project is just getting underway. You can read about it on our News page. Descriptions of previous mini-grant projects can be accessed under the News 2007 and News 2008 links on that page.

If you would like more information or want to join
Sumter County Active Lifestyles, please contact:
Linda Pekuri at (803) 774-3861 or lpekuri@sumtercountysc.org
OR
Catherine Blumberg at (803) 774-3860 or cblumberg@sumtercountysc.org

Members as of July 2008

*SCAL welcomes new members*

Executive Director: Linda Pekuri
Sumter County Recreation & Parks Department