Program now accessible to all ages and ability levels

Let the scavenger hunt begin! For the 16^th straight summer, WellSpan and local libraries across South Central Pennsylvania are launching an interactive outdoor scavenger hunt designed to exercise the body and mind – known as the Get Outdoors (GO!) program. This year's theme is "All Together Now," emphasizing the importance of connecting with one another and nature for optimal well-being. The program kicks off today in six counties including Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York. New this year, participants will find QR codes at each scavenger hunt location that links to a mental wellness tip that they can be completed right in the moment.

The initiative seeks to address mental health for all ages by increasing opportunities for families and individuals to engage in physical activity, exploration of state and local parks and trails in each county. Another goal of the program is to help decrease childhood obesity while addressing summer reading loss among school-aged children.

"Mental health is important and shouldn't be treated as separate from our physical well-being. It's all connected. We know that when mental and emotional states are at peak levels, the challenges of life can be easier to overcome," said Sandra Gladfelter, health education coordinator lead for WellSpan Health. "We've designed this year's program around how to better cope with life stressors."

Also new this year, efforts are also being made to increase accessibility, with an urban trail established near Keystone Kidspace in York and several parks and trails included specifically for their wheelchair and stroller accessibility.

How GO! Works

Participants will follow written clues from a guidebook called the Friendship Journal to locate hidden wooden connector posts to match this year's theme. There are 15 (30 in York County) wooden posts with a unique etching attached to it. Once participants find the connector and the etching with corresponding code, the code can be logged online into a digital app called Beanstack to receive credit for the hike. There will be a chance to win prizes once the program concludes in August (end dates vary per county.) It is encouraged to share photos of your GO! hunts and offer tips, via the program's county-by-county Facebook pages. For county-specific information visit your county's GO! program website:

• GO! York,
• GO! Cumberland,
• GO! Adams,
• GO! Lebanon,
• GO! Lancaster,
• GO! Franklin.

Each dedicated GO! website, includes directions to parks, information on prizes, and clues to find the wooden posts. Visit your local library to pick up a guidebook (also called a Friendship Journal) and a rubbing sheet to record your discoveries. You may also download the information on each of the GO! websites.

The GO! program is partially funded through WellSpan Health's Community Partnership Grant Program. Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations that improve the health of the communities and people WellSpan serves.

For more information on WellSpan's Community Partnership Grants and other ways which WellSpan promotes healthy communities, visit www.WellSpan.org/CommunityBenefit.