Have you always wanted to try a 5K but never got around to it? Are you tired of those holiday pounds sticking around? Do you just need some motivation to get healthy? Darke County Parks is hosting a fitness program called 5K Fit every Thursday @ 5:30pm from March 30th through May 8th. Join them throughout the spring to get healthy. They’ll have three different programs for you to choose from (walking, walking/jogging, and running) to suit your fitness needs and help you work towards a healthier lifestyle.

With everyone setting their own goals and moving at their own pace, feel free to join them at any point during the program. For every time you attend, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a free registration for the Raptor Run/Walk” on Saturday August 5th at Shawnee Prairie Preserve. Please dress for the weather and bring a timing device and water bottle. For questions or weather updates, call the Nature Center at 548-0165.

Did you know? Because of hills, wind, avoiding puddles, people, and obstacles, walking outdoors burns more calories than walking on a treadmill.

As if they weren’t easily identified by their distinct black and white coloration, skunks also have an unmistakable odor. On March 30th at 6:30 join a Darke County Parks naturalist to learn more about these odiferous mammals. Odor is putting it kindly; skunks really stink! Of all chemical defenses that wildlife employ, the smell of skunk is most offensive. Participants will discover why these mammals smell so bad and why they are an important part of the ecosystem.

For more information about this or any other Darke County Parks program or to register, please call the Nature Center at (937) 548-0165.

Did you know? A skunk's spray is an oily liquid produced by glands under its large tail and when provoked, it can blast its foe with a foul mist that can travel as far as ten feet.