DMC RiverWalkers lets seniors get fit with a view

It's a combination of exercising, socializing and appreciating the riverfront in the city of Detroit.

"It's really like a get together for me," said Edith Woodberry,

Woodberry, 93, calls it a reunion. She's been a part of the DMC RiverWalkers for three years.  And it's paying off.

The first year I came down, I did all this walking," she said. "The next year I broke my hip and I think my hip got well so quick simply because I had been doing those walks." 

The DMC Senior Fitness Program has been growing since 2008. It started with just a couple hundred and now as many as 1,500 are making that weekday stroll along the river. Depending on the day, there might also be a health screening or additional fitness program. 

"We love that they come out, they get healthy and fit," said Michele Marine, of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. "They develop great friendships, and most importantly they are building community and using the riverfront as a backdrop to just get healthy and have fun."

"I walk from here to Joe Louis Arena," Edith said. "Then we turn and come back and walk pretty much halfway to Chene Park. Then if we feel like doing a double-whammy, we do the same thing again."

You can walk for as long as you like, but as Lawrence Washington will tell you, the more the better.

"I feel much better doing this," he said. "I used to have problems with my knees and stuff, so it feels much better. And it motivates you to start eating right and taking care of your body better, too."

The RiverWalkers meet every Tuesday and Thursday morning during the summer at Rivard Plaza. Everyone 60 and older is welcome.