Beaufort County Community College recently completed a new fitness trail on its campus after being one of four counties to be awarded a grant from a nonprofit organization to promote health and fitness in the community.

The new fitness trail, dubbed IM FITT, was completed through a $150,000 grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust as part of the nonprofit’s Healthy Places NC initiative, said Sara Singleton, grant writer and coordinator of special projects at BCCC. The mile-long trail, which contains three fitness stations, is open to the public seven days a week from dawn until dusk. Each exercise station — one for cardiovascular fitness, one for strength training and one for flexibility training — is constructed from outdoor-rated equipment, which is made to last for up to 25 years outdoors. The preferred starting point, as well as preferred parking, for the trail begins at Building 8 on campus, looping around the entire campus, and throughout the trail, signage is posted to guide users, Singleton said.

Singleton said the stations have detailed instructions on how to properly use the equipment, and there are online resources available to instruct users on proper use. In the near future, the college’s Continuing Education division will offer a course, instructing students on proper use of the equipment and the benefits of doing so, as well. The trail not only will promote the overall health and well being of the community, but will also generate interest in the college among users, Singleton said.

“The college had the space and wanted to provide a free resource to the community and to people who may not be able to afford a gym membership but want to improve their fitness,” Singleton said. “We want people to get healthy using the trail, and while they’re here, find out more about the college. The focus is on the community’s health. The college is committed to keeping the trail groomed for use, and we chose equipment that would withstand the test of time.”

Singleton said the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust worked closely with the college to design the trail. Over the next 10 to 15 years, the nonprofit is planning to make a $100 million investment across 10 counties in health and fitness. Beaufort County was one of four counties to be chosen by the nonprofit to kick off the initiative, and in the future, the college hopes to add onto the trail, Singleton said.

“It’s really an impressive initiative,” Singleton said. “We’re very lucky that Beaufort County was one of four counties in the state to be a part of it. We’re lucky we got in on the ground level on some of these fun projects. Our campus is the people’s campus, and we hope to be able to add onto the trail. We’re looking at lots of exciting things that will get people to come to the campus. We would certainly hope we’ve helped make a difference in some of the health outcomes in the community — reduced mortality rates and incidents of high blood pressure and heart disease.”

On Jan. 27 at 11 a.m., the college will host a grand opening of the trail, which will feature healthy refreshments, brief comments by college officials, a ribbon cutting hosted by the Washington-Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and an inaugural walk of the trail, Singleton said.

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