West Chicago Mayor Invites Residents Out For Weekend Walks
(CBS) -- While some public leaders have a monthly coffee, the mayor of West Chicago has weekend walks and he's started them for the season.
Ruben Pineda says he was inspired by the mayor of Oklahoma City, once one of the fattest cities in the US and now one of the fittest.
Three years ago Pineda started encouraging people to walk with him on the weekends. He says it's not all about losing weight, but becoming healthier.
"We want to make it a sustainable community," Pineda says. "We want walking paths, we want biking paths we want just a healthier lifestyle for the city of West Chicago."
While the weather wasn't particularly great this weekend, he says some of his regulars were with him on the hour-long walk.
There are six different routes that he takes and they're about the length of a 5k.
In addition to getting exercise, Pineda says it gives him a chance to get out into the community, talk to residents and for them to talk to him.
The walks begin at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. on Sundays and go from April through November.
Pineda wants to get more kids involved, so next weekends' walks are at Turner Elementary School and West Chicago High School.