Paige Green Dunn is passionate about helping moms.

Dunn, who lives near Maple Valley with her husband Reagan and 2-year-old son Hayden, has been working on projects to create community for mothers such as her Mom Around Town website and her latest, MOMentum.

After Hayden was born in August 2009, Dunn said, she was having a hard time getting to the gym to work out so she finally hired a personal trainer, Kelly Singer, to come to her.

“We just started talking about how it is so difficult for moms to find time to go work out,” Dunn said. “It would be so nice if there was something in the parks where moms could get in a work out while they were watching their kids. We also wanted to do something to make a difference in our community.”

Singer explained she has always had a passion for helping women get fit.

“A lot of women feel intimidated going to the gym or don’t really know where to start or how to get plugged into a support group,” she said. “Paige was actually a client of mine. We became really great friends and she was passionate about the same thing, about helping moms be healthy.”

Through brain storming Dunn and Singer came up with the idea to put equipment into 10 Puget Sound area parks that would allow women to work out while their children are playing.

Singer, who is expecting her first child in November, is also a fitness expert for Glamour and Seattle magazines.

“She was able to figure out what exercise options would be ideal for moms,” Dunn said. “So often machines are designed for guys.”

Dunn said they are working with a company called KomPan which is providing the equipment such as a piece called an air walker, which she described as similar to an elliptical, as well as push up bars, yoga mat areas that will have directions on how to do exercise among other pieces.

Selecting the first site, Les Gove Park in Auburn, was one of the easier parts of the process.

“We looked at areas where they might not have as much access as what we have in downtown Seattle,” Singer said. “Our goal now is to fundraise for Les Gove. We’re still in the fundraising process. It’s launching in the middle of October. The equipment has been ordered and it’s on the way.”

Auburn seemed like a good place to start, Dunn noted, because as a community it has rallied together to fight obesity.

“The school district, the government, the community, they’re all getting together,” Dunn said. “It’s really neat how they’re tackling this problem together.”

Plus the location of Les Gove Park also seems to make it a good fit because it’s close to schools, churches, and the senior center.

“It’s really buzzing,” Dunn said. “So, there’s a lot of people who will use it and that’s what we wanted.”

Once Les Gove gets the equipment in, Dunn and Singer will step back, do some research then begin considering where MOMentum should go next.

“We just plan to take a few months and learn, research how the site has impacted the community, how moms like it and get as much feedback as we can so as we move forward we can find out what moms want,” Singer said. “So this is kind of our pilot project.”

Dunn said they want to hear from people who have ideas about what other parks in the region would be a good fit.

“This has been new territory for Kelly and I, but, it’s been so exciting for us to provide something for moms,” Dunn said. “It’s neat to make a change. I’m excited to be able to take Hayden to the park when he’s a little bit older and tell him, ‘Mommy did this.’”

Being a good role model for her son is also important, Dunn said, because she wants him to see that fitness is just part of life but so also is service and having a positive impact on the community.

“We really just think that healthy moms raise healthy children,” she said. “Our children are watching us and we’re creating what’s normal for them and they’re learning from us how to live.”

Reach Kris Hill at khill@maplevalleyreporter.com or 425-432-1209 ext. 5054.

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