Healthy Northern Kennebec's End of Year Newsletter

November 2014

  

Give Thanks for Public Health!

 

The Monday before Thanksgiving is Public Health Thank You Day, created to take time to recognize public health professionals who work diligently every day to protect us.  From the ordinary to the extraordinary, these champions keep our drinking water safe, air clean, and children healthy.

 

"Every day, public health professionals here and around the world work in challenging and sometimes dangerous situations to protect our health," said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH. "Whether they are working to keep us safe from infectious disease threats, or finding ways to promote healthy opportunities, thanks to all the dedicated public health professionals who work to keep us safe and healthy."

 

At Healthy Northern Kennebec, we are grateful for our dedicated staff, Board and Coalition members, and other partners who are making our communities healthier. THANK YOU!

 

Have a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving!

 

Fran Mullin

Healthy Northern Kennebec Director
 

  

   

 

RSU 18 Celebrates International Walk and Bike to School Day

 

 

Every fall, International Walk and Bike to School Day is celebrated in RSU 18. This year on International Walk and Bike to School Day, October 8th, Atwood Primary School participated in a Walking School Bus. Families were invited to drop off their students at the Valero's vacant lot to join all Atwood Primary School bus students on a walk to school. RSU 18 Transportation Director Lennie Goff, Safety Officer Ed Wentworth, Trip Coordinator Mike Perkins, School Health Coordinator Claire Heffernan, Officer Todd Burbank helped to organize the Walk to School Event. Volunteers for the event included Scott Colby, Physical Education teacher at Atwood Primary/Williams Elementary School, Counselor/photographer Kris Croteau from Messalonskee Middle School, the Oakland Police Department, theKennebec County Sheriff Office and Mason R.W. Dave Couture.

 

Walking and bicycling to school enables children to incorporate the regular physical activity they need each day while also forming healthy habits that can last a lifetime. RSU 18 is working toward building a strong Walk and Bike to School program supported by the Maine Department of Transportation and Bicycle Coalition of Maine Safe Routes to School Program.

  

 

 

Kennebec Sites Honored for Improving Health of Maine's Youth

 

 

 On November 6, 40 sites in Kennebec County were recognized for their efforts in the Let's Go! program, and for their commitment to excellence in healthy eating and active living for local children and families. The Recognition Celebration, held at the Alfond Youth Center in Waterville, recognized 8 childcare sites, 10 out of school programs, 11 schools, 13 healthcare practices and 3 organizations in the community as Sites of Distinction for the Let's Go! program, or received Certificates of Participation for the 2014 program year. The Let's Go! Site of Distinction certificate recognizes schools, out of school programs, childcare centers and healthcare practices for their dedication to creating healthy environments and policies where kids live, learn and play.

 

In addition to recognizing Sites of Distinction at the celebration, the Alfond Youth Center, Waterville Parks and Recreation Department, and Inland Hospital were all acknowledged for their dedication to the community sector of Let's Go! and their partnership in Inland Hospital's Let's Go! Family Fun Series.

 

At the celebration, sites from across the sectors were welcomed by Laura Howell, local Let's Go! Kennebec Coordinator and VISTA Volunteer at Inland Hospital. She shared stories of the accomplishments sites made in the 2013-2014 program year. "A home-based childcare rearranged their living room so the TV wasn't their go to focal point every afternoon. Now, the TV is nowhere to be seen and TV time has been swapped with activity time," noted Howell as one example.

 

The Director of Let's Go!, Dr. Victoria Rogers, delivered an inspiring keynote address about how everyone has a role to play in Let's Go! across the sectors. Dr. Rogers asked Site Champions to share some of their accomplishments and successes, like staff who are now trained in role modeling at an afterschool program and that systematic support for the program has been key to the success of a local school district.

 

All recipients have embraced Let's Go!'s five priority strategies and many have written these strategies into policy. It's efforts like these that truly impact children's health and obesity rates."

 

 

 For more information go to www.letsgo.org or contact Laura Howell at 861-3293 or lhowell@emhs.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now in its 9th year, Hardy Girls' Girls Advisory Board (GAB) just expanded to southern Maine! GAB is comprised of 23 high school girls who work with our Board of Directors and staff to plan events, make sure our programs cover what girls need and want, and work on changing the world to make it more girl friendly and positive for girls to grow. In October our central Maine GAB and southern Maine GAB got together for the first time at the Fall GAB retreat. They discussed feminism, began to plan workshops for the Spring conference for middle-schoolers, learned about activism and elected GAB officers. 

 

  

   

For many people who walk through Crisis & Counseling Centers' (C&C's) doors seeking a better life, a number of barriers to recovery exist. When the agency recognized that clients' lack of access to basic needs was affecting their treatment, staff developed a way to help - a Client Emergency Fund. The agency initially contributed a set amount of money to establish the fund, but within a few months staff donations completely sustained the effort.

 

Any staff member who interacts with clients can identify a person in need. The agency keeps enough money on hand for small items such as bus tickets and gas gift cards, which are used to transport clients to appointments. Staff members also accompany clients to pharmacies and help them pay for medications. The fund regularly contributes to special projects, and has previously replaced a furnace, helped offset security deposits on apartments and purchased a pair of glasses for clients.

 

The fund continues thriving because of the agency's Annual Giving Campaign, during which staff have the chance to give back to the community by donating to the Client Emergency Fund, the United Way of Kennebec Valley and/or the United Way of Mid-Maine. To date, staff have contributed more than $1,100 to the 2014 Client Emergency Fund and have started submitting pledges for next year.

 

For more information about C&C, call Central Access at 207.626.3448 or visit crisisandcounseling.org. If you are in crisis, call 1.888.568.1112.

 

 

 

 

 

 

KVCAP's Community Needs Assessment is open now, with a deadline of December 17th. KVCAP welcomes the opinions of anyone who wishes to respond, and would especially appreciate the participation of community members with low incomes. Please spread the word.  Paper copies are available from  Paige Barker at paigeb@kvcap.org.  Here's a link to the on-line survey: http://surveymonkey.com/s/kvcapcna2014.