Cherokee YMCA's 'Urban Challenge' Gets Families Outdoors

The YMCA of Cherokee County hopes a scavenger hunt will not only get residents of all fitness levels up and moving, but also interested in the organization's efforts to promote healthy choices among children.

The YMCA, along with the Greenprints Alliance, will present its Woodstock Urban Challenge 4, a scavenger hunt activity designed to attract Cherokee County residents who want to get outside and test their knowledge on the city of Woodstock and the YMCA. 

The hunt, which is free for those wishing to participate, starts at 12:30 p.m. March 23, and will be held during the same time as this year's TrailFest, the headline fundraiser for the Greenprints Alliance. 

Teams will be able to start any time between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., but the hunt will officially end at 3:30 p.m.

The event sign up will begin at 11 a.m., and information on where the sign up will be held and where the race will begin is forthcoming. 

Toby Bramblett, associate executive director with the YMCA, said the challenge also gives the YMCA the perfect opportunity to inform residents aware of its Youth Fit For Life initiative, which introduces elementary school-aged children to a wellness curriculum designed to promote a healthy, active lifestyle

The program, which is free for elementary school students participating during after-school hours, has been introduced into four elementary schools in Cherokee County and Bramblett added he hopes to expand that initiative into four additional schools.

The scavenger hunt is different than the Challenge Four Adventure Race the YMCA has organized for the last eight years.

Bramblett notes the adventure race, which will be held later this year, requires residents to be physically fit, read a compass, carry a mountain bike and canoe as they navigate a course that takes them throughout the southern end of the county.

"There’s a group of people who can learn how to do those things and enjoy it," he said. "There’s also people who would not enjoy it and (feel) it’s intimidating."

In the challenge that's billed as a family-friendly event, participants will be allowed to form teams to complete the course, which is designed to be completed between one and two hours. 

Bramblett added there aren't any awards or divisions and the event allows residents to complete the course at their own pace. They will also be allowed to use their smartphones as guides.

Bramblett said he views the challenge as an "awareness building" opportunity as it can turn residents on to possibly financially supporting the YMCA's anti-obesity initiative. 

"If we are able to raise awareness with participants about what we are doing, that is as good as raising money," he said. "Those individuals may be turned on to make a donation."

Keep up with Holly Springs-Hickory Flat Patch news by subscribing to our newsletters and following us on Twitter and Facebook!