Open Streets to hit the streets

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  • Open Streets
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Lawton’s annual Open Streets event has been changed this year to accommodate safety requirements including social distancing and masks.

Instead of a large kickoff gathering with thousands of people, organizers have changed the event name to “Open Streets Hit the Streets,” which started Sept. 14 and continues through Oct. 12.

This year’s event will focus on adults and children taking selfies as they participate in different community activities. The selfies must be taken as participants create a sense of community, revitalize downtown Lawton, promote active transportation and encourage a healthy lifestyle.

For example, a selfie could be taken of an individual or group safely volunteering for a service project or attending a community meeting to qualify for the category of creating a sense of community. The Encouraging Healthy Lifestyle category could be illustrated with a selfie of a person eating fruits and veggies or attending a yoga class.

The selfies, once taken, must be sent to fitkidsofswok@gmail.com to qualify for prizes that will awarded after Open Streets Hit the Streets concludes in October. The prizes will be distributed at City Hall in November.

“We’re having to be more creative this year because of the pandemic,” said Tiffany Martinez Vrska, Lawton’s community relations director. “We want to get people involved with this new format and submit their selfies in each category. We are so eager to get people involved while also having fun.”

At the same time, area businesses are conducting independent free events that residents can enjoy. For example, one business held a sidewalk obstacle course, Vrska said. Another free event was a scavenger hunt in the park.

“We are so thankful for our great community partners,” Vrska said. “This alternative initiative still supports everything that Open Streets is about and allows community members to practice healthy activities in fun and safe ways, at their own time.”

Various community partners are taking part in Open Streets Hits the Streets as “Stop Spots.” At these locations, the community partners may challenge citizens to do something like 10 jumping jacks as part of the event’s initiatives and take their photo while doing so, which could count as a participant’s selfie/photo in the category of “Encouraging Healthy Lifestyle.”

“We have already had such a positive response from our community partners for Open Streets Hits the Streets,” Vrska said. “I have seen some ‘Stop Spot’ signs already posted on partner doors and windows and we can’t wait to see all the fun activities they have planned for citizens.”

Goodie bag prizes for those completing selfies in each of the four categories include lip balm, color-changing cups, can strainers, pedometers, hand sanitizers, air quality towels, pencils, water bottles, tote bags, pinwheels, coloring pages and watercolor pages. Donors include Arvest Bank, BancFirst, Comanche County Health Department, RSVP, the Lawton Metropolitan Planning Organization, the city library and CSL Plasma in Lawton.

For more details, visit lawtonok.gov or call 580-581-3375.