About the Piedmont Recreation Department’s Walking on Wednesdays group

About Walking on Wednesdays

Walking on Wednesdays (“WoW”) was started in early 2018 when Dick Carter, Patty White, and Andrew Wendel asked the Piedmont Recreation Department to sponsor a weekly walking group activity. Sara Lillevand, who was then director of the department, happily agreed, Walking on Wednesdays was formed and had its first walk on April 18, 2018.

Gail Lombardi, the president of the Piedmont Historical Society, lead this first walk telling the history of Piedmont, which walkers enjoyed. WoW was not intended to be, and is not, a Piedmont history group. However, many of Piedmont’s streets and places have histories associated with them, so historical information is often part of the group’s walks. This can be the histories of Piedmont’s early residents and times, as well as the personal histories of walkers.

Community members seem enjoy the walks in whatever form they take, and the group has grown to about 150 registered members. There are usually around thirty walkers on each week’s walk. WoW seems to grow constantly with new participants joining the walks all the time.

Each year the group tries to walk every safe walking street in Piedmont. WoW had to take a hiatus during the pandemic, but has walked every other Wednesday since its start. In fact, WoW even walked on Christmas and New Year’s Day one year.

It is believed that Walking on Wednesdays’ physical activity and social interaction are equally important. It has been described as a “twalking group.” WoW is an informal, weekly activity for anyone who enjoys casual walks in and around Piedmont. Volunteer Dick Carter usually leads the walks, but other group members have too. Piedmont historian Meghan Bennett feels the information about WoW walks can benefit community members, and should be preserved and shared. She has generously constructed this website for our use.

Walking on Wednesdays is open to everyone, Piedmont residents and non-residents. There are no fees to participate. Registration with the Piedmont Recreation Department is required at https://tinyurl.com/3ethkehu. If you have any questions please contact the Piedmont Recreation Department at 510 420-3070 or prd@piedmont.ca.gov.

Piedmont Post, April 8, 2020

Dick Carter's first ad for the Walking on Wednesdays group on April 8, 2018