
America's Healthiest City
America's Healthiest City, hosted by Will Melton, dives into the heart of Richmond, VA, uncovering the community-driven initiatives that are transforming the city’s health landscape. Each episode features inspiring stories from local leaders, innovative health solutions, and actionable insights to help you make a difference in your community. Join us as we explore what it takes to build a healthier, happier Richmond.
Learn more about America's Healthiest City at https://americashealthiestcity.com.
INSTAGRAM: @americashealthiestcity
America's Healthiest City
The Capital Trail Is Transforming Richmond One Step at a Time
Richmond's evolution into a healthier, more vibrant community flows directly through the Virginia Capital Trail, a 52-mile pathway connecting the city to Williamsburg that has transformed how residents experience outdoor recreation and community connection.
Kat Anthony, Executive Director of the Capital Trail Foundation, brings her passion for outdoor accessibility to her role overseeing this vital community asset. As a Richmond native who returned after outdoor adventures from Alaska to Santa Fe, Anthony's mission is deeply personal: "I came back to Richmond because I wanted to continue to make it a better place. I love outdoor recreation and so I wanted others to experience outdoor recreation."
Since the trail's completion in 2015, it has become Richmond's second most visited attraction, welcoming approximately one million visitors annually who bike, run, walk, skate, and even occasionally ski along its path. Beyond recreation, the trail has catalyzed economic development, with businesses like Cool Wheels and Indian Fields Tavern opening along the route, while housing developments at Rocket's Landing market their proximity to the trail as a primary selling point.
Richmond Marathon winner Rob Mazzanzi, who joined the conversation, highlighted how the trail embodies two of Richmond's defining characteristics: outdoor accessibility and community connection. "I come out here and I see other runners and cyclists and families walking together. It's this really organic way to get to know your neighbor or people living right around you, where your paths would never have crossed otherwise."
The Capital Trail Foundation continues advocating for expansions including a connection to Colonial Williamsburg, smaller connector trails to neighborhoods and schools, and links to regional systems like the Fall Line. Their vision extends beyond recreation—it's about creating a healthier Richmond where everyone can safely access green spaces without relying on cars.
Want to experience this community asset for yourself? Visit virginiacapitaltrail.org for information on parking, amenities, and upcoming events like the 20th anniversary Cap to Cap bike ride happening this May. Whether you're a seasoned cyclist or first-time visitor, the Capital Trail offers a pathway to health, community, and a deeper connection with Richmond's vibrant outdoor culture.
Own a website? Want to learn how to rank in AI search results? Watch the replay of Will Melton with Xponent21 for Adapt or Disappear: How AI is Upending Search & SEO on LinkedIn and YouTube. Learn proven methods for ranking in local SEO, national SEO, and AI search results.
Bonus: Access the free PPC Budget Calculator to calculate your ad campaign profits.
--
Learn more about America's Healthiest City at AmericasHealthiestCity.com.
Follow us on Instagram: @AmericasHealthiestCity
Follow us on LinkedIn: America's Healthiest City
Subscribe on YouTube: @AmericasHealthiestCity
How does Richmond become a healthier place leveraging amenities like this and how we can, you know, really tap into the connections between people leveraging assets like this I know as a runner I get to get out here and see other runners and families out here walking together.
Speaker 2:so again, really fostering that sense of community.
Speaker 3:As a Richmonder, I want to showcase Richmond, make it a better place and get people outside. Hey Richmond, it's.
Speaker 1:Will Melton from America's Healthiest City. We are on the get people outside, hey, richmond. It's Will Melton from America's Healthiest City. We are on the Capitol Trail today and I'm with Kat Anthony, the executive director of the Capitol Trail Foundation. We're going to have this talk on a walk here along the trail, so I'm really excited to do this show. Kat and I have known each other for a few years and we've wanted to do this interview for a little while. So Kat and I have known each other for a few years and we've wanted to do this interview for a little while. So, kat, I'm really glad that we had the opportunity to do this interview, and especially right here at the beginning of spring when it's beautiful outside. I'm going to get a little tan today. Thanks for coming on with us.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me, and I'm so glad we're here on the Capitol Trails as we should do with all interviews and talking about the trail, so it's going to be a little busy, so watch out for a few cyclists, runners or walkers who come by. Maybe we'll see a skateboarder or a skater as well.
Speaker 1:Okay, cool. Well, I will tell you, before the Capitol Trail was finished, I was living in Williamsburg, so I got to see it being built from both sides, yeah, and it's been a really awesome thing to see come to life. You, it's been a really awesome thing to see come to life. I want to talk about the trail today, and we've got a special guest host that we're going to have talk a little bit more about the trail, its amenities, what it does for the community. But I want to talk before then a little bit about you, because you are the boss and you're behind all of this work. So I'm always curious, and Richmonders are curious where did you come from? Are you a Richmond native or did you come here? And, if so, what brought you to the region?
Speaker 3:yeah, so I am a Richmond native, born and raised in Richmond. I grew up in the west end, went to Godwin high school, go eagles and then I also went to VCU as well, was part of the outdoor adventure program and did a lot of traveling uh, did you know travel to Alaska, worked there, worked in Santa Fe? Uh, worked in a lot of traveling. I did you know travel to Alaska, worked there, worked in Santa Fe, worked in a lot of different places, but I came back to Richmond, kind of to my roots, worked in a lot of outdoor recreation and non-profits and worked at local non-profits like Blue Sky Fund and Sportable, and then I ended up at the Cap Trail and so it's been great Been at the Cap Trail now for about gosh around seven and a half years now.
Speaker 1:Okay, wow, yeah. Well, I am a person who has visited Alaska. Not many people get to do that in their life, but I've been twice and it was one of my 49 states that I visited, so I'm fond of it. We had some clients up there and I was there last year. As a matter of fact, wonderful place to be. Did you hang out with the bears? That's my only question.
Speaker 3:You know I did a little bit. So I did seven-week expeditions with kids, with youth, and we were out of Wrangell, alaska, and we would do ocean canoeing and backpacking in British Columbia. And so we did hang out with some bears, some whales, some seals. We saw a lot of amazing lots of eagles and we even the bears. We even had a bear spray in case they came too close. I mean they, and also a little a little bear banger gun just in case they came super close to us. So we did hang out with some bears, all right yeah.
Speaker 1:so I was fly fishing up there and we got to get really close to the bears Certainly only a few places that you get to do that without being mauled, but yeah, I can see how somebody who's into outdoors would love to go to a place like that. I can also see how folks who love the outdoors would want to be here in Richmond. So tell me a little bit about what brought Richmond. I guess you know, having had the opportunity to visit some other places, was there a draw or was there an opportunity? And since you've been back, you know kind of what has been the story for you. Has it been as expected or have there been twists and turns that you know surprised you?
Speaker 3:Well, I love Richmond, and so I came back to Richmond because I wanted to continue to make it a better place. And then I love outdoor recreation and so I wanted others to experience outdoor recreation, and so for me, with the Capitol Trail, it's about getting people out here. I remember I've talked to so many people who have said I haven't been on the trail, what is it, am I allowed on it? And we want to make sure that we get more people out on the trail through biking, through running, through walking, through our events, and so, for me, as a Richmonder, I want to showcase Richmond, make it a better place and get people outside, and so the Capital Trail Foundation was an opportunity that brought me to that. I've also worked with Sportable, doing adaptive sports.
Speaker 1:Hunter Lehman. Yeah, I worked with.
Speaker 3:Hunter, and you know, our goal when I worked there was to help people with disabilities play sports, so we did adaptive cycling, we did a lot of different things, and so it's all about making Richmond a better place.
Speaker 1:And from just a personal perspective, I can imagine being outside on a regular basis is an incredibly rewarding career and you know, tell me a little bit about what the day in the life of the executive director of the Capital Trail Foundation is like.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think many people think that I bike up and down the trail every day and I'm scouring it, looking for leaves off the trail, pushing sticks. I don't always get to do that. I am out on the trail often but it's a lot of things like this. It's talking to folks talking about how awesome the trail is, doing programs, doing our big events. It's talking it's really just spreading the gospel of the capitol trail to others and getting people involved, and so that's really what it's all about.
Speaker 1:Kind of um, and I get to meet a lot of amazing people and I probably get the most excited about getting new folks to the trail so I want to stop for just a second here, because we're we're at a bike rental facility and if, for folks that don't know what the trail is, this is one of the amenities that folks can find out here. Tell us a little bit about this and maybe some of the other points of access that people in Richmond can expect.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so this is the kickstand. We are friends at Richmond Cycling Corps. Richmond Cycling Corps does great biking programs for youth throughout Richmond and one of the things that they also do is they do a rental bike station here, and many times their youth are also the ones who are running the, the station here, the store, and so this is just one of the amenities along the the capital trail. But kickstand's been here for a number of years. We at the capital trail has also actually helped fund the kickstand through our outdoor equity fund. We have an outdoor equity fund that we fund different initiatives along the trail, but this is a great stop. You should totally use them to run a bike if you ever want to check out the trail.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Well, thank you for the insight on that.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So 365 days a year, four seasons we get that in Virginia. Lovely, lovely thing to do. Tell us a little bit about the seasons on the trail different things happening throughout the year, different activities. You know what's the dynamic. Is it pretty flexible or are there kind of rigid control? I guess is the question I'm looking for.
Speaker 3:The Capital Trail is open, you know, all throughout the year, 24 hours, and we see folks. You know our busiest times are the spring and the fall, because it's beautiful out just like we are. It's beautiful out right now. We have a lot of people who are biking, running, walking. The summers can get a little hot so we get a little bit less folks, but we average around a million trail counts a year on the Capitol Trail. We've got these trail counters throughout the trail that are able to count different folks who are out on the trail and so. But we do see winter. I've seen people ski on the trail.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've seen people do some snowshoeing on the trail.
Speaker 3:Probably reminded you of Alaska a little bit, A little bit, yeah, a little bit, and it just shows that people are utilizing this awesome asset in our region and so it can get busy, especially in the spring and fall. The summers you'll see a lot of folks as well, but the busiest is spring and fall on our trail and we're hoping for more and more folks. That's our goal is to have more and more folks use the trail, more connections to the Capitol Trail so people can ride or run or walk to it.
Speaker 1:And so the trail itself is technically done, aside from connections to the trail. Is it done, or is there more to be built?
Speaker 3:There's more to be built. Yeah, there's more to be built. So one of the things that we want to see is connecting the Capitol Trail to Colonial Williamsburg, so right now it ends at the settlement. We want to continue that on. We also want to see smaller connections, like connections to schools, connections to neighborhoods, better crossings on the Capitol Trail and then, of course, bigger connections to things like the fall line and to the Trail 757, which is the expansion of the Capitol Trail East, and so we're hopeful for that. But our advocacy work of getting more trails built is continuing.
Speaker 1:Well, I really appreciate a little of this insight into the trail and to your background. We've brought a special guest host along with us today. Rob Mazzanzi is the person who won the Richmond Marathon in 2024. Rob, if you come and join us, we'll bring you into the shot here and we'll make a quick introduction. So, Rob, this is Kat Anthony.
Speaker 2:She's the executive director of the Capital Trail Foundation.
Speaker 1:I am. I will say I'm, more recently, somebody who's into athletics. I go to the gym. That's about the extent that you can call it. I like to walk. I get my steps in, but for somebody who I know is a user of the trail, I wanted to give you guys a chance to chat, and Rob's also been a guest on our show in the past. So I'm gonna let you guys take it from here and I can't wait to hear how the conversation goes.
Speaker 3:Awesome thanks.
Speaker 2:Well, I think, first thing is, I have like I need to just extend my gratitude and just say thank you for having this great amenity in Richmond. Um, you know, as you know, when I was training for the marathon and and still running now, I spent a lot of my time on the Capital Trail. And it brings kind of two things to my mind that when I think of Richmond, that separated from other places and one is just what you're, what you were touching on a little earlier, and that is the sense of outdoors, being outside, and another part is just community, the sense of community and I think that you know the cap trail is just a great embodiment of those two things.
Speaker 2:I know as a runner, I get to get out here and I love that it's a safe place to come out here regardless the time of the year. And I can come out here and I love that it's a safe place to come out here regardless of the time of the year, and I can come out here and I see other runners and um and cyclists and just, you know, families out here walking together. So again, really fostering that sense of community. But would like to hear kind of what you've seen and how it's grown, you know, over recent years since you've been here, and how this kind of fosters that sense of community yeah, um.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you for that. I've got to thank people like Wick, clement, beth, weisbrot. Those are the people and a lot many of our citizens, who advocated to get this trail built and I've been lucky since the trail was fully built in 2015,. I came on in 2017, and I've been lucky to just see this trail flourish, and I mean from everything from new trail folks coming to the trail, people biking up and down it, new trail businesses. So in the past seven years we've had Cool Wheels open up, we've seen Indian Fields Tavern, we've seen a lot of new growth in businesses and as we keep going, we're kind of coming into Rockets Landing, which is tons of housing and economic development that have happened because of the trail.
Speaker 3:Many folks have said I moved to rockets because I want to be near the trail, I want to be near bike you know bike infrastructure, I want to be near safe bike infrastructure, I want to be away from the cars, and so it's evolved over time. I think some of the naysayers who were like I don't want this trail have switched and said I love this trail. Um and and and I heard a story once. So there's a couple crossings on our trail and one of the crossings is there, because the landowner didn't want it on their property and later, as the trail was getting built, the property owner wanted that back. They're like, actually, can you, can you bring it back to my side of the road? And so I think it was already past due. But but the trail, as you know, is busy, second most visited attraction in Richmond and people really love it and are passionate about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I see that firsthand and I've seen a bit of that economic development as well. You know running down here and just seeing some of the projects. You know some of the, you know the buildup of Rockets, landing and just you know both in housing, but then just also like again just kind of just how many people are out here using it throughout different parts of the year. I think it centers sometime around just some certain events, right, yeah, and I think there are a few that are really special. Maybe talk about two or three that there are a few that are really special. Maybe talk about two or three that you find that have, that are really popular with people and folks here in the Richmond community.
Speaker 3:Yeah, one of our biggest events is our. This year is actually our 20th anniversary Cap to Cap bike ride. It's going to be May 9th and 10th, and so that is a really fun event. We get around 1500 riders from all throughout the mid-Atlantic region who come out and play on the trail. We have rest stops, we have a party zones, we've got DJ, people get swag as well, and so our Cap-to-Cap has been around longer than the trail has been, and it's a great way to celebrate the trail, and so that's coming up in May.
Speaker 3:In October, we always have a run. Our run is out of stone brewing, and so that's coming up in May. In October, we always have a run. Our run is out of stone brewing, and so that's a great way to show that the trail is not just for cyclists, it's for runners, it's for walkers, it's for skaters, it's for everyone, and so we normally have around 500 to 700 people for that event and people really enjoy it. They get a beer out of it, which is always nice a t-shirt as well, so that's a really fun event that happens on our trail.
Speaker 3:We also do the Summer Challenge, which is the summer months are great in Richmond, but, as you know, it gets hot, and so we encourage people to try to complete the entire Capital Trail and so they get a t-shirt out of it and it just encourages people to be active. We've had people walk the entire trail in segments. We've had people, of course, bike it, but it's great to have events to just get new people out on the trail, get people who use it all the time and just engage them. So it's pretty fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and again, all these events are again building that general like sense of community right, and I think that's awesome. The the Captain's Cap bike race. I think that's that's awesome. The the captain's cap on a bike race. I'm so jealous of that. As a runner, I of course like there were. The race is great as well, but it makes me want to jump on a bike and come join and I need at least come out and see it.
Speaker 3:I got to see you in May. You've got to come out. It sounds like a ton of fun. Yeah, it's a great way to just showcase the trail and um, and it's nice to be able to be fully on the trail versus, you know, on the roads, which aren't as protected and so, and it's a great way to celebrate it yeah, and I'll say this from maybe a runner's perspective is I've run a lot of different places.
Speaker 2:I was in dc for a little bit um, and I'll say this you know, I think it's there's things there can be um a bit of a challenge. You know, working within a trail with between runners and bikers and like I feel like in Richmond everyone is really friendly. You know, everyone kind of like, you know, encourages each other. There's no fighting or over space or lanes or anything. So that's really nice. So if you are a runner, you don't need to feel you'll be very comfortable, plenty of space to come out and run.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and that's what it's all about is everyone having positive trail etiquette and being nice to one another and, as you see, there's cyclists and you know people coming by and it is. It is a very welcoming trail. If I'm ever having like a busy, hard day at work, I come down to the trail and it just boosts my mood, makes me feel energetic, and, and so I highly recommend that for everyone who's watching this if you're ever having a bad day, come down on the trail. It'll make you feel better.
Speaker 2:So I couldn't agree more. I mean, yeah, it's. We have a beautiful spring day, it's 80 degrees, a slight breeze, and you have this incredible view right walking around the river it can really kind of pull you aside and make you appreciate just some of the other things in life and everything else gets so hectic with you know responsibilities, work, family, everything else. This is, uh, it's really nice um to have right here in our backyard.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I think we should remember that we're very lucky to have this. A lot of communities are fighting to have something like this in their community and we're lucky to have 52 miles of continuous trail that goes all the way to Williamsburg, and it took 10 years to get built from shovel in and out, and, and yeah, like we should also be very grateful yeah, well, you know we talked about kind of the, the past and the present of the cap trail.
Speaker 2:Um, tell us a little about the future. Are there any exciting plans, anything in development coming up? I know there is, um, you know, even just the, the small building, the addition there in the, in the park there, in the last what six months or so? Um, but what are some upcoming? You know things that we expect to see along the cap trail?
Speaker 3:yeah. So there's a couple things I mean. So there's already been some developments, like the market on five in charles city county is going to be opening, which is we're really excited about. It's going to be like a music and restaurants, some. Some things are coming there.
Speaker 3:But the big things that we're really excited about is we want to continue to just expand and connect the trail. So we already already mentioned the connection to Colonial Williamsburg. So, advocating for that portion of the trail to get built that would be from the settlement to Colonial Williamsburg, those small connector trails to schools and neighborhoods. We've already seen some improvements, with some of the crossings getting improved so people don't have to drive to the trail. Sure, they're able to walk, bike run to the trail. So we're really excited about that.
Speaker 3:We're really excited about the fall line being built and being able to connect to that trail. So those are a few things. We've added a few amenities along the trail. You know so those are some exciting plans that are happening with the trail and our goal is to get more people out on the trail and to have fun with it. You know so those are some exciting plans that are happening with the trail and our goal is to get more people out on the trail and to have fun with it. You know and be able to to get to it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think, like you said, there's just so many different ways to get involved, whether it's something that's organized or it's a Saturday morning coming out here and enjoying, you know, just a nice leisurely walk with a cup of coffee, right? So, absolutely Well, thank you so much. It's so great to talk to somebody who has such an integral hand in making this happen. So, thanks again.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, thank you.
Speaker 1:If you're paying someone to do search engine optimization for your company and they're not talking to you about video, you should fire them. The internet has completely changed over the last couple of years and AI is taking over. People are using AI to search the Internet. People are using AI to create content for the Internet. The game has completely changed. If your SEO strategy is stuck in the past and you're writing content and building backlinks, you're way behind the curve.
Speaker 1:My name is Will Melton and I'm the CEO of Exponent 21, and I'd like to personally invite you to a webinar that we're hosting on April 24th to show you exactly how video is used today to up your SEO game. I'll show you the digital marketing math problem and how video can be used to improve performance at every stage, from awareness to action. Seo is a competitive game and time is your enemy, but video is your friend. 2025 demands a shift in strategy, and we're giving you the keys to success. Register using the link below and, if you can't make it, fill out the form anyway. We'll send you the recording so that you can upgrade your SEO strategy without losing any time. I'll see you there.
Speaker 1:Well, why don't you hang out with us for a little bit longer. We'll keep walking and talking and we can kind of head back to our origin place. But I think one of the things that's awesome about Richmond is the story of building, rebuilding maybe, and then also building, and so we'll keep talking about the future, but head on back. So thanks, Rob, for your great questions From the perspective of a runner, of an athlete and somebody who uses the trail on a regular basis. You know, my mind is thinking, you know beyond the trail and you know our entire community and I'm curious, you know really both of you, the perspective of you know how, how does Richmond become a healthier place leveraging amenities like this? And you know, maybe thinking a little bit about the community aspect and and how we can, you know, really tap into the connections between people leveraging assets like this? I'll, I'll ask you first, Kat, and, and then I'll give you a chance to chime in.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, I think, first off, we love it when people program or use events to utilize our trail because we're so lucky to have it. But I also want to say we need more infrastructure in Richmond to be able to connect to the Capitol Trail. Get more trails built, like I know for me.
Speaker 1:I live in Northside and I have to hop on the road if I'm going to bike here to get to the trail I have to say my wife does not like riding a bike in the city yeah because that is just too scary.
Speaker 3:And you see these stories about what happens to cyclists oh yeah, I mean, I know when I do bike to the trail, as soon as I get to the trail I'm like okay now I can relax a little bit.
Speaker 3:Uh, you know, I mean that's, you know, it can be really stressful, you know, and so so I think that's the big thing is we need to have more and more connections. And then to the trail, and so I mean I would encourage citizens to be involved, to ensure that they have they advocate for sidewalks, for trails, for better connections to our trail and to advocate for more trails to get built, and so that's really what I would plug.
Speaker 1:Okay, and then, from just like a general community health perspective, you know I'm always looking to inspire people. One of the things that I hear sometimes, and one of the things that motivated america's healthiest city, is this idea that people are sitting at home and thinking that things aren't getting better out in the community and people aren't working to make things better, and I and I hope to be able to inspire those folks by telling stories like yours and like the story of the Capitol Trail. But I also like to think about you know small and big ways that people might be able to help out, to chip in, to make a difference themselves, and we give every guest an opportunity to share a little bit about those ideas and we'll put those on our ideas board on the website.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So this trail would not have been built without citizens saying I want this in my backyard or I want this in my community. So a lot of citizens came together and it's grassroots advocacy and said talk to their city council persons, talk to their mayor, and said I want this to be built in the city of Richmond and so. So that's one thing. The second thing I would encourage people to do is just come out here. If you haven't been out on the Capitol Trail, you need to come out, Come bike, come walk, come do a lunch out here. You need to experience this and then you'll understand how important and impactful it can be on the health of a city. And so those are a couple ways. Of course, you can always come volunteer at the Capitol Trail Foundation.
Speaker 1:And so those are a couple ways. Of course you can always come volunteer at the Capital Trail Foundation. We do trail cleanups, we have our trail ambassador program, and so that's also a way just to kind of get involved.
Speaker 2:But in the end, I want everyone in Richmond to experience this trail at least once. So that's my number one thing I want you to do, rob. What's your take? You learn anything today that might change how you use the trail? Or think about encouraging other people to use it? Well, you know, I'm again kind of trying to approach this maybe from my own perspective as a runner, and you know it's.
Speaker 2:It can be hard, you know, lacing up your shoes and getting out there running day after day.
Speaker 2:It can be kind of a lonely sport at times, right.
Speaker 2:So I think about I come out here before work and run in the mornings and, although I'll be by myself, you know, I see a lot of the same faces and I had this sense of community where I would wave and like stop and like have a quick conversation with some of the folks down here.
Speaker 2:I've actually met up with some people that I met from just like running alongside them, and we've gone and actually met up and planned runs together. So it's this really organic way to get to know your neighbor or people that are living right around you, where you might be in a big city but again, like you have all these people that you may share some things, or maybe your past would never have crossed otherwise, but now you have this, this, uh, this one common factor, this common interest, right that that brings people together. So you know, I think it's one, it is a great asset where you can come out and do so many things individually and appreciate it. But, um, again, I think it's also this platform, this foundation, which allows for the community to come together in different ways and you know, whether you're hosting a big event like the Cap to Cap or a race, or whether it's just getting a run club to come down here, appreciate the city, make new friends, and then those bonds can stay with you for a really long time.
Speaker 3:The trail is a big community builder, I would agree, specifically Henrico, charles City, county, williamsburg. It totally brings communities together and if you come down here every day at a certain time, you'll see the same folks out on the trail and some of them, some of them I don't know their names, but you know you'll see them out here and so it's wonderful to see.
Speaker 1:Well, when I think about, you know everything that takes to make something like this happen. Obviously, a lot of the work has been done. You talked about volunteers. What are some of the other needs that the Capital Trail Foundation has? I imagine donations are always welcome. What other things are you guys looking for? Partners, advocates.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I always say please donate to the Cap Trail, virginiacapitaltrailorg. We're always looking for donations to help fund amenities along the trail. Our organization Really, we also, like I mentioned is advocates for the trail, you know. So we advocate to ensure that the trail is, of course, maintained, but also we advocate for getting more trails built, those connector trails like I mentioned. They hear it from me, but it's about citizens saying I want these things to get built and so those are also some needs. But, of course, volunteering with us as well for trail cleanups, for our events. You know all of that, and so and again, just coming out on the trail, you can check out our website If you don't know where to park, where the water is, where the restrooms are. We can point you in the right direction for those things.
Speaker 1:Well, I really appreciate all that insight and one thing that we ask all of our guests, because we don't want to pass up the opportunity who is somebody that inspires you, somebody that you see contributing to the fabric of our community and to the future health of our citizens?
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, we passed earlier the new James River Association building and so you know, know we've got this beautiful river right here, and JRA has been an amazing advocate for our river, and so Bill Street would be someone who I think would be a great person to speak to, of course, justin Doyle as well, who also works at the JRA, and so those would be a couple folks that I can think of that would be great to talk about the health of our city, I mean our, our river, it's our drinking water, and so that's really important to talk about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know I can't ask all the questions. You know there's never enough time. Is there anything that I didn't ask you? That you think that the people who are listening or watching this should know that we didn't?
Speaker 3:cover today. You know there's a lot of great trails in Virginia and a lot of trails to get built. So if you've heard about our trail, great, but look at other trails in your neighborhood, see what people are trying to get built, because one day I could see Virginia having a statewide trail that can go up and down Virginia, and that's something that would be really important, and so I would look into that as well. But no, I'm really happy to be on here, so thank you.
Speaker 1:Well, thanks for joining me, Rob. Thanks for hanging out with us today. This was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to spend more time out here this summer.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you better, I'll see you out here.
Speaker 1:You will. You will what time? Thank you so much for joining us for another episode of America's Healthiest City on Channel, and if you want to get involved in this program in any way, please check out americanshealthiestcitycom. And to learn more about Channel RVA, the new home for groundbreaking content and creators here in Richmond, check out channelrvacom.