CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Center for Active Living, located at 116 S. Second St., Clearfield, in cooperation with Scott McKenzie, will be presenting a program on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. about his adventures hiking the Appalachian Trail. Everyone is welcome to attend the free program.
McKenzie’s 2015 Appalachian Trail hike preparation started many years ago as he developed a love for walking/hiking. When he joined the U.S. Army in 1985, he went to basic training at Fort McClellan, Ala., where they “ruck marched” to and from the different ranges that taught them the necessary combat skills to be effective soldiers.
He enjoyed these “ruck marches” and at the completion of basic training, they covered more than 420 miles in eight weeks. He then performed monthly 12-mile “ruck marches” carrying a minimum of 80 pounds of gear while deployed in Bosnia in 2001.
He has also completed the 100-mile Diabetes Walk from Erie to Pittsburgh each year for the last five years. He trained for the Appalachian Trail by hiking on trails in the Quehanna Wild Area, and then in March of 2015 he set out on his 2,189.2-mile hike of the Appalachian Trail.
The center welcomes anyone to come in and enjoy lunch and socialization, plus the many varied and interesting programs and opportunities that the center offers. Hours of operation are Mondays thru Fridays from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The center is operated by the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging Inc. To hear more about McKenzie’s amazing journey, contact the Clearfield Center for Active Living at 814-765-9319.
Programs and services of the agency are funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Inc., Mature Resources Foundation, and local and consumer contributions.