2019 Berks Trail Challenge Kicks Off May 6

Warmer weather means more time outside and Berks County residents are invited to participate in the second annual Berks Trail Challenge. The challenge is free to participants and is presented by Be Well Berks, an initiative of the Community Wellness Department of Reading Hospital, and encourages residents to explore nearby parks, hiking, and mountain bike trails. In 2018 a total of 668 people, ranging in age from one to 79, registered to participate in the program.

"The Berks Trail Challenge was designed to encourage our community to get outside, be active, and explore the beautiful parks and trails available in our area," said Desha Dickson, Associate Vice President, Community Wellness, Reading Hospital. "We've added the challenge to make it even more fun."

The Berks Trail Challenge will begin on Monday, May 6 and will continue through Thursday, October 31. Participants can register at BeWellBerks.org and print out a challenge card as well as directions to each location for each participant, or family, to record trail visits. The challenge card lists the eight different trails with the difficulty level and terrain of each. The trails range in length from one to six miles long.

"The challenge is to visit as many of the trails as possible and record a unique symbol on the challenge card. You can find the unique symbols at park information stands and other locations throughout the trail near original trail markers," said Dickson. Completed challenge cards must be received prior to Thursday, October 31 to be entered in a drawing to win a prize. Completed challenge cards may be submitted anytime throughout the challenge. Thirty random winners will be selected and announced the week of November 4.

Participants are encouraged to take pictures of their trail outings and post them using the hashtag #Berkstrailchallenge and tagging any of the Reading Hospital - Tower Health social media platforms including Facebook at facebook.com/readinghospital; on Instagram, @readinghospital; and on Twitter at @ReadingHosp.

Reading Hospital

Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.