Oct. 12—DANVILLE — It was a chilly start to World Mental Health Day on Tuesday, but with the sun also shining, it was a great day to take a walk outside at the Danville Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System.

There was a ribbon cutting ceremony and then VA officials, staff and guests took an inaugural walk on the new Patriot’s Path Fitness and Walking Trail, across from Building 98 on the Danville VA Medical Center campus.

This was another monthly event in celebration of VA Illiana’s 125th Anniversary this year.

The trail will promote fitness for veterans and their families as well as VA Illiana employees.

The ceremony included the singing of the National Anthem by music therapist Angelika Hustedt, invocation by VA Chaplain Rev. Lonnie Sutterfield, remarks by VA Illiana Executive Director Dr. Staci Williams and others, the ribbon cutting, and an inaugural walk of the half-mile Patriot’s Path led by Williams.

Williams said the trail used to be an old wood chip trail that was overgrown and unusable. It had fitness stations on it, but not everyone was able to utilize them.

Travis Winkler, recreation therapy supervisor, said at the heart of their mission at the VA, they want to honor the American veterans with quality health care and opportunities for healing and recovery.

The fitness trail will promote health and wellness by giving veterans and their families, and staff at the VA the opportunity to use the walking path and fitness trial.

“Recreation and leisure activities restore, remediate and rehabilitate those with disabilities,” Winkler said.

He encourages veterans and those caring for veterans to use the fitness trail for physical fitness and healing. He said someone may want to exercise independently or connect with others. The Patriot’s Path will be a source of enjoyment for all, he added.

“You could barely see where the old trail was,” Winkler said. There were a couple pull up bars along the previous trail.

“We kind of wanted to redo that idea and make it accessible for all,” Winkler said.

He said since a majority of the veteran population is older, and with mobility issues, the trail allows them to come outside and enjoy the green space.

“A change of environment is good for our mood. A little exercise is good for our health. So, we kind of combined those two ideas. I pitched the idea, just went to leadership and engineering saying could this work, and got a lot of support. And from then it became a project,” Winkler said.

Williams said veterans can enjoy the outdoors on the trail and be active in a safe environment.

“It promotes socialization, and it offers a chance to enjoy nature,” she said.

She said the trail was a great team effort to see it completed. Williams thanked and recognized Ryan Smith, healthcare engineer at the VA, and others including with recreational therapy, voluntary services and the facilities team to turn the vision into a reality.

Williams said the trail encompasses many aspects of the VA’s whole health program.

“Walking in these comfortable surroundings will help recharge minds and bodies,” she said. “These surroundings are so beautiful. This campus is gorgeous. And this will encourage our veterans and our staff to move, which will have a positive impact on physical, mental and emotional health.”