Nestled in the heart of DeLand is Oakdale Cemetery, a 144-year-old, neatly manicured parcel of land that serves as the final resting place for more than 15,000 people.
On the third Monday of each month, a group of Central Floridians gathers there to walk and learn about some of the people buried in the cemetery as part of Walk With a Doc. The program was developed by an Ohio cardiologist who found that the best way to motivate his patients to walk regularly was to join them.
Podiatrist Jenneffer Pulapaka brought the program to DeLand and saw an opportunity to combine physical health with a walk through the region’s history. For each outing, Pulapaka arranges a micro-tour, selecting three or four gravesites, researching the people buried there and presenting their biographies. The result connects walkers with the lives of the deceased while weaving in the history of DeLand.
