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For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed walking. From ten mile hikes with the Boy Scouts to prayer walking with my church group, to traversing solo across streets, trails, and parks, walking has always been special to me. So it was with utter dismay that during my grueling move to Scranton in March, 2020 I suddenly lost my ability to walk very much, especially in my hilly South Side neighborhood. In fact, it got the point where I could not even walk from one end

Come join VIM for a mural tour in Forest City! As part of the borough's Trail Town Days, we will introduce five new Powered by VIM murals painted this spring and summer. On Saturday, August 1, at 6pm, the tour starts at 503 Main Street in Forest City at the Trail Town mural painted by Jeff George in 2022. The Forest City Mural Trail is more than a collection of public art. It's a celebration of the people, places, and stories that make Forest City unique. Each mural was inspi

When's the best time to get community feedback on your trail project? Before, during, AND after the project! That was the message from Trust for Public Land's seminar yesterday on Strategies for Community-Led Conservation. Hosted in partnership with the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the webinar attracted conservation, heritage, and parks organizations from across Pennsylvania. Valley In Motion was honored to be the seminar's guest presenter. We highligh

INTRODUCTION: NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (“NWNEPA”) and Valley in Motion (“VIM”) are seeking proposals from Signs Design and Manufacturing Companies to assist with a project to design, produce, and install five community wayfinding signs in parks owned and maintained by the City of Carbondale. The Community Wayfinding Signs project was identified and created by a committee of Carbondale residents that indicated the need for community wayfinding signs. The commun

Student designers shovel the first dirt for their Community Schoolyard On May 28, we broke ground on a Community Schoolyard at Whittier Elementary School in Scranton. After two years of planning and design, it's starting to happen! Here are some photos of the day. Scranton School District Superintendent Erin Keating spoke of the need for kids' activities that get them off their screens Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti lauded the student designers for their applying their skills

Photo by B Soto Media This year's race felt different. With 300 more runners and walkers than last year, the energy, enthusiasm, and sheer chaos of The Office 5K felt next level crazy. It all started with the costumes. The creativity and effort that participants brought to the race was unlike any race before. There was Princess Barbie Unicorn, Bobblehead Dwight, and a woman running as a broken flat-screen TV. Families dressed in group costumes, friends as an Office wedding pa

Ever wonder what it takes to change your community to become healthier? At a recent Healthy Communities in PA call, Lauren Finn of Lancaster shared with VIM and others about a national group called CityHealth . CityHealth is a health research group that recommends 12 evidenced-based policies with a track record of bipartisan support. These recommendations really piqued our interest! Ever since VIM organized focus groups about making NEPA a Blue Zone – an area of exceptional

Desire paths are clearly seen between urban developments and I-81, in what VIM hopes to develop into hiking and biking paths that connect South Scranton residents to outdoor recreation opportunities and the Pinchot State Forest “Go play outside!” A favorite declaration of parents the world over. Not only as a way to get things done around the house without distraction, but a not-so-subtle push to get kids outside and to get moving. Sadly, we all spend less time outside nowada

On a Saturday in June three years ago, a small group gathered at Connell Park in Scranton to join in a novel approach to community health: “Walk with a Doc.” After a short talk by family physician Darlene Dunay, the group headed to a nearby stand of woods to walk around the park and an old football field. Although Dr. Dunay talked to the group informally about keys to eating better, the main conversation that day was that no one knew these wooded paths were there! And it's so

At Valley In Motion, we learn from our partners and peers across the country and directly apply that knowledge to our work at home. Collaboration is a hallmark of VIM’s approach to carrying out our mission to build quality of life in the Lackawanna Valley. Last November, VIM had the honor of being invited to participate in a national forum exploring the powerful intersection of parks, green space, and public housing. Common Yards: Green Space and Public Housing Reimagined ,

Forest City Mural Project The Borough of Forest City and its nonprofit partner, Valley In Motion, look to brighten downtown with murals that strengthen Forest City as an Outdoor Town. Valley In Motion is looking for multiple artists to paint mostly small murals at up to nine selected sites, ranging from 60 to 600 square feet in size. The deadline to apply for this project is Sunday, March 15, by midnight. This project will have a two-step process. A mural committee wil

Lessons learned from "Common Yards," a national forum exploring outdoor recreation at public housing developments.

For years, Valley in Motion has been showing up in communities across the Lackawanna Valley—sparking creativity, strengthening neighborhoods, and helping residents shape the places they call home. Along the way, their work has been featured regularly in local news, celebrating everything from trail projects and public art to wellness events and large-scale community gatherings. Below is a collection of those media moments, highlighting the many ways VIM continues to move our

Valley In Motion is proud to support Carbondale in Pennsylvania’s Blueprint Communities initiative.

Valley In Motion Celebrates National Walk to a Park Day with JFK Elementary Students and Mayor Cognetti