OTISFIELD — A weekly walking club is being established in town to strengthen community ties.

Jean Hankins said the club will walk Friday mornings, beginning June 7. The one-hour hikes will be easy to moderate in activity level and mostly off-pavement.

The walking club is an outgrowth of a move by a local church group in 2011 to establish a monthly luncheon to help neighbors meet neighbors and to rekindle the sense of community.

Close to 100 residents of all generations participated in each of the first three luncheons at the Community Hall on Route 121. It evolved into other events.

The program was first developed in response to an East Otisfield Free Baptist Church assessment that showed many people were dealing with socialization issues and a feeling of isolation, according to members of the steering committee who developed the project at the time. It was particularly intended to target the elderly and shut-ins during the winter months.

The walking club is another offshoot of the original program.

Participants will meet at the Community Hall on Route 121 at 8:30 a.m. and carpool to the trail from there. Hankins said participants need to be prompt; waiting time for late arrivals will be five minutes.

The route of the inaugural walk has not yet been planned but Hankins said a variety of venues will be explored with different guides, most taking place in Otisfield. She has a long list of suggested walking trails. Participants should bring water, insect repellent and sunscreen.

More details will become available by email once the number of participants are known, Hankins said. If bad weather forces the group to cancel, an email notice will be sent by at least 7:30 a.m.

Hankins said the group is not limited to Otisfield residents and all are welcome.

For more information, contact Jean Hankins by email at [email protected] (preferred) or by telephone at 539-2521.

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