KILLEEN, Texas — Joshua Kilpatrick is a medical doctor for Baylor Scott and White and has helped organize 'Walk with a Doc' in Killeen, a long-running program that started in Ohio back in 2005, first instituted in Temple three years ago, and now beginning in Killeen.
"For the most part, I think we are a healthy society," Kilpatrick said before the inaugural walk began. "It's just a matter of getting everyone involved throughout the community and using those resources and putting them to work."
"Walk with a Doc" is a non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage healthy physical activity in people of all ages. It's a chance for doctors to become physically active with their patients by walking, talking, listening and learning, together.
"Anything you can do to find out how you can take care of your health," said Jess Hamilton, a retired United States Army Veteran. "The weights going crazy. Everyone's getting heavy and this is a way to get out and get rid of some of that."
Bryant Bulls said he fights the sedentary lifestyle at work with his desk job and this is a great way to win against that battle.
"It doesn't cost anything to come out," he said. "We have so many fast food options in the area, there's not a lot a ton of alternatives in the area, there's a few, but the biggest aspect is it gets you engaged in the community."
Dr. Kilpatrick said he decided to be a doctor when he was a teenager because helping people, seeing that change, it's emotional.
"When you help somebody that's in dire need of help," Kilpatrick said. "Then you see that change happen, you see it in their face when they do improve, they do get better, yeah, it really keeps you coming back for more."
The 'Walk with a Doc Program' will be happening every second Saturday of each month at Lions Club Park in Killeen.