Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, January 17, 2013

Oleta JONES rides her bicycle nearly every day on the streets of Mount Ayr. In cold weather, JONES trades her bike for a pair of walking shoes.

She encourages everyone to follow her lead and to get daily exercise of some sort.

Public Health touts JONES' active lifestyle, encourages others to follow but having a higher quality of life. Ringgold County Public Health offers Mount Ayr resident Oleta JONES as a living example of this truth.

At age 74 years JONES is a great example of how walking and biking can be enjoyed by all ages.

JONES has a route she bikes around town during warm weather, and when it gets colder she walks during midday when temperatures are warmest.

She wishes there were more walking trails with soft surfaces like grass or dirt as they are easier on her joints.

"People all say they don't have time," she said, "but don't we all have the same 24 hours in a day? For health reasons it is worth it to get out and walk or bike once a day. It is great for the heart and lungs."

She also offered advice for they ounger generation: "These town kids need to be walking to school and their parents can walk with them. Drink more water too!"

JONES said she reads a lot about health and why healthy behaviors are important. She was quick to deflect praise while insisting she notices a lot more people are walking and biking around town than she remembers in the past.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2013