ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke’s Redevelopment and Housing Authority is launching its very first Walk and Talk on Tuesday.
The idea is to bridge the gap between community leaders like the city’s vice mayor, Joe Cobb and Del. Sam Rasoul and people living in city housing as well as the people living in the surrounding communities — all while getting some exercise in.
There will be five different walking groups, each meeting different sites throughout the city.
“People within the community especially within the housing sites they see first hand some of the issues going on so the Walk and Talk is a chance for them to talk about what we can do better as a community to support them and the community as a whole,” said Greg Goodman, Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s family self-sufficient coordinator.
When the walking groups meet Tuesday, they will decide as a group a better time and day to meet weekly.
At the end of the month, the group with the most miles walked will win a healthy catered meal from the Healthy Bowl.
Rasoul will be walking with the group that meets at Villages at Lincoln.
“I think during these difficult time what most people really want to be listened to, engaged and respected. A number of anxieties a lot of people are concerned with; back to school or so many other issues. It’s important for us to be front and center and just listening and engage with them to figure out how we can be helping them,” said Rasoul.
Here is a list of walking sites and corresponding contact information.
- Villages at Lincoln- Greg Goodman (540) 527-0685, ggoodman@rkehousing.org
- Hunt Manor/Bluestone- Susan Farmer (540)537-9793, sfarmer@rkehousing.org
- Jamestown/Indian Rock-Amanda Jane Holland (540) 983-9210, aholland@rkehousing.org
- Landsdowne-Ashlee Rice (540) 983-9209, arice@rkehousing.org
- HCV- Amanda Jane Holland or Ashlee Rice