I SUPPORT
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Name:
Leah Turner
Home:
Indianapolis, Indiana
Birthplace:
East Chicago, Indiana
Age:
54
What I do:
I love being outside as much as possible, no matter
the weather—walking my Golden Retriever on the Monon
Trail, biking, or gardening. I have just discovered that I can
draw, and have begun taking classes. I do home visits for the
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, and find it tremendously
grace-filled.
I am:
An outgoing person who doesn’t know a stranger. I am
comfortable in my own skin.
Latest or greatest accomplishment:
I have been with my hus-
band for the last 41 years, and married for 31.5 of those. We
have accomplished a lifetime of wonderful memories together.
How did you and your family first get involved with rail-
trails?
Indianapolis wasn’t a very bike-friendly town when
my husband and I moved here in the early 1980s. When
the Monon Trail was first introduced to the community, I
couldn’t believe there could be a safe way to ride bikes from
one part of the city to another. Before it was completed, I
began investigating other trails in the region and was excited
to discover that trails like the Monon were being built in
many different locations.
What role do you believe trails can play in helping people
stay more physically active and healthy?
Rail-trails like the
Monon Trail are great for folks of all ages. Whether watching
a little person learn to ride a bike, or an elderly couple stroll-
ing along at a leisurely pace, being physically active is the key
to a healthy life.
What benefits do you see trails bringing to your community?
A trail brings a community together. Whether walking, biking
or rollerblading, a trail allows everyone to experience a differ-
ent part of their community. It is always so much fun to dis-
cover a new neighborhood, restaurant, shop or park by using
your local trails. That new connection can then bring pride
to the folks that live in that town or city. It’s not an exaggera-
tion to say that a trail
is
a community. Providing a way to get
to work, to take that doctor-prescribed walk, to bike to the
neighborhood coffee shop and meet friends, would benefit
every community no matter how big or how small.
Why I support Rails-to-Trails Conservancy:
I support Rails-
to-Trails Conservancy because it represents, to me, what life
is all about: mind, body, spirit. I see a trail as something that
is good for all of those things, no matter what age you are. I
plan to continue supporting RTC until everyone has a trail
near their community.
Learn how you can get involved with RTC and building
America’s trail systems:
www.railstotrails.org/getinvolved.
CHRIS BUCHER