The new StoryWalk Project panels are now installed at Wiese Park and ready for viewing, the Perry Public Library announced Wednesday.
With assistance from the Perry Public Works and Perry Parks and Recreation departments, the library began the project earlier this spring, thanks to a Telligen Health Initiatives grant and co-sponsored by the Dallas County Department of Public Health and Iowa Department of Public Health.
The StoryWalk Project is a registered trademark, created in 2007 by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, who developed the StoryWalk concept with the help of Rachel Senechal of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Vermont.
“The StoryWalk is designed to provide community members with an enhanced outdoor experience, encouraging both exercise and literacy,” said Perry Public Library Director Mary Murphy. “We are excited to promote reading in our local outdoor spaces, and we hope you will visit the StoryWalk and enjoy some quality time with nature soon!”
There are sixteen StoryWalk stations along the path in Wiese Park, with an additional five stations on a Challenge loop.The story of Chicken Little, as retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg, is told in the StoryWalk panels around the central portion of Wiese Park, starting at the playground structure and bathrooms. The stations are placed roughly 150-200 yards apart.
The path leading to the gazebo includes the Challenge loop, with activities at each station, such as jumping jacks, quad stretches, skipping and walking backwards.
StoryWalks have been installed in all 50 U.S. states and in 12 countries, including Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea.
