About the Story Stroll
The Monroe County Health Council's Story Stroll combines the joy of reading with the beauty of the outdoors. Originally established through a CARES Grant initiative led by Tabitha Prock, the project took 3 years to complete (2022-2025) and is one that we're hopeful locals will enjoy for many years to come! The Story Stroll places the pages of children’s books along local walking paths, allowing families to read a story together one step at a time- encouraging early childhood literacy, promoting physical activity, and fostering nature connection all across our "big back yard" here in Monroe County.
Accessibility for Every Explorer
We believe everyone should have access to a great story. At most locations, you'll find a QR code on the welcome sign. Simply scan it with your phone to access our YouTube Read-Aloud Playlist or directly to the video of the book on display (not all books have videos we can link to).
This is a great tool for:
Emerging Readers: Little ones can follow the pictures while listening to the narration.
Accessibility: Helps those with visual impairment enjoy the stories.
Multitasking: Allows the whole group to hear the story even if they aren't standing right in front of the board.
Revisit: Allows you to come back later to enjoy and discuss the story.
Where the Stories Live
You can find a new adventure waiting at four community locations. We are proud to have installed and continue to maintain three of these sites, to partner with the Sweetwater Library on the fourth, and to support the Story Stroll experience all across Monroe County!
Madisonville
Monroe County Health Department Address: 3469 New Hwy 68, Madisonville, TN 37354
Vonore
Heritage Park Address: 619 Church St, Vonore, TN 37885
Tellico Plains
Tellico Plains Walking Trail Address: 155 Bank St, Tellico Plains, TN 37385
Sweetwater
Engleman Park - An Eagle Scout project led by Will Bowman. We are thrilled to support the Sweetwater Stroll & Sweetwater Library by loaning our rotating book collections for the community to enjoy! Address: 1200 Monroe St, Sweetwater, TN 37874
New Tales on the Trail
Every journey deserves a new chapter! We refresh the books at our Story Stroll locations periodically throughout the year, ensuring there is always a fresh discovery waiting for our community.
From seasonal favorites to timeless classics, the stories "stroll" right along with you. Be sure to visit often to see which new tale has landed at your favorite local park or trail!
Support the Trail
Maintaining our Story Strolls is a unique challenge! Because our display boards show both sides of a page at once, we have to purchase two physical copies of every book to ensure no part of the story is missed. To make sure they stand up to the Tennessee sun and rain, we also treat every page with specialized UV-resistant lamination.
If you would like to help us bring fresh adventures to our community, please consider donating a book from our official wish list.