The Ballwin Parks and Recreation department is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles. The facilities, alone, are excellent outlets for physical activity. The Pointe at Ballwin Commons, North Pointe Aquatic Center, Ballwin Golf Club, and featured parks all give the community ways to stay active. But did you know about some of the following programs?

Insurance subsidized memberships at The Pointe support insurance companies’ preventative measures. Health and wellness begins with prevention and insurance companies are offering benefit options that either fully or partially cover fitness center memberships. The Pointe is a provider for several programs. Find out if your insurance includes this type of benefit and if The Pointe is a provider.

Healthy Walkers is a volunteer run walking club coordinated with the department. The group meets on Monday mornings at a variety of locations and parks in the West St. Louis County area. Anyone can join to stay active and create relationships with other walkers. Just ask The Pointe’s Welcome Desk for a schedule of locations.

American Red Cross blood drives are a staple at The Pointe. Most notable are the Cardinals and Blues blood drives that take place in June and January respectively. Many times we only consider giving blood in times of natural disasters, but giving blood is literally giving life throughout the year. Check out the American Red Cross website for a schedule of local drives.

The Ballwin Youth Movement is another free program to promote physical activity among youth ages 5-14. You can find a Youth Movement activity log on the Ballwin website or pick one up at The Pointe. Participants simply turn in their activity logs every three months to The Pointe and earn visits to be used at The Pointe or North Pointe. Members that participate can use their visits for guests!

Lifeline Screenings and The Pointe coordinate regular preventative health screenings. These include screenings for abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral artery disease, carotid artery disease, and bone density. Prevention is ideal and early detection with these types of screenings help patients and physicians create a plan to prevent further health issues down the road. The next scheduled screenings at The Pointe are Thursday, October 17. Go to Lifeline Screenings’ website for more information.

Health is just as much about quality of life as it is being free from disease. This starts with preventative action. Ballwin’s facilities and programs offer options for the community to improve its quality of life.