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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
Increase physical activity or exercise among Sumter County residents by creating a supportive environment through policy and environmentally-focused strategies.
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.
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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
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President- O.J. Papucci
Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments
Vice President- John Howard
Broad Street Enhancement Association
Secretary- Catherine Blumberg
Sumter County Recreation & Parks Dept.
Treasurer- Wayne Argabright
Sumter County Recreation & Parks Dept.
Member-at-Large- Leona Green
Cherryvale Community Oriented Police
Member-at-Large- Georganne Kirven
Wedgefield Community Coalition
Juanita Britton
Rembert Area Community Coalition
Jean Butel
Community Advocate
Latrelle Chambers
Sumter County Recreation & Parks Dept.
Renata Chelednik
Community Advocate
Janie Colbert
Delaine Community Center
Betsy Conner
Tuomey Healthcare System
Safe Kids Coalition
Joan Davis
Broad Street Enhancement Association
Imogene Drake
TOPS #SC236
Evelina Farmer
Broad Street Community Faith Warriors
Rose Ford
Sumter County Recreation & Parks Dept.
Carol Hallgren
Business Owner |
Janet Hawthorne
Sumter Development Board
Beverly Hill
Community Advocate
Tammy Hodge
SC Department of Transportation
Charlie Holmes
Sumter City-County Planning Commission
Annette Howard
Broad Street Enhancement Association
Susannah Howard
Delaine Community Center
Esther Judon
Broad Street Community Faith Warriors
Carrie Lenoir
Horatio Community Center
Suzette McClellan
SC Department of Health & Environmental Control-Region
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Linda McCombs
Community Advocate
Phil Nobles
SC Department of Transportation
Phil Parnell
Sumter County Recreation & Parks Dept.
Jacqueline Session
Salterstown Community Center
Suzanne Sims
Sumter Easy Riders
Lottie Spencer
Rembert Area Community Coalition
Judy Tyl
Community Advocate
Frank Waggoner
School District 17
Juanita Williams
SC Department of Health & Environmental Control -
Region 4
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