Staff Writer
AUGUSTA — Healthy Aroostook, a local coalition that collaborates with community partners in the county’s central and southern regions to address physical activity, nutrition, tobacco, substance abuse and chronic disease, was recently presented a 2012 Fitness Award from the Maine Governor’s Council on Physical Activity.
HEALTHY AROOSTOOK, a Healthy Maine Partnership and program of the Aroostook County Action Program, was selected in the community organization category to receive a 2012 Fitness Award from the Maine Governor’s Council on Physical Activity. First Lady Ann LePage presented the award June 6 at a ceremony at the Hall of Flags in Augusta. Pictured are, from left: Reegan Brown, community education specialist for Healthy Aroostook; LePage, Martha Bell, community transformation grant coordinator for ACAP; and Dr. Eric Steele, co-chair of the Maine Governor’s Council on Physical Activity.
Recognized in the community organization category, Healthy Aroostook was chosen based on its organized efforts and success in promoting “5-2-1-0” in Aroostook County
“Let’s Go Aroostook is an initiative that promotes healthy lifestyle choices for children, youth and adults,” said Reegan Brown, community education specialist for Healthy Aroostook, “and we promote the 5-2-1-0 message in six different sectors (schools, after-school programs, community settings, health care settings, childcare settings and the workplace).
“The four daily health habits of 5-2-1-0 are to eat five or more fruits and vegetables, watch two hours or less of recreational screen time, engage in one hour or more hours of physical activity and have zero sugary drinks and instead drink more water and low-fat milk,” she said. “In April of 2011, Healthy Aroostook coordinated ‘Connect 5-2-1-0,’ a daylong event held in Presque Isle aimed at identifying ways to reduce childhood obesity. It was an informative, networking meeting that included a physical activity session, breakout sessions, lunch and more. We had 64 participants at that meeting, so it was a very successful event.”
According to Michelle Plourde-Chasse, who nominated Healthy Aroostook for the award, the free event served several functions.
“It was a means to increase program awareness, recruit new participants, and join program adopters for purposes of establishing a network of individuals/agencies promoting physical activity. The collaborative fashion of this event fostered connectedness, enhancing program sustainability,” said Plourde-Chasse, project manager of Community Voices in Fort Kent. “‘Connect 5-2-1-0’ also increased the number of organizations and individuals serving as healthy role models for youth. Additionally, broadened community involvement enhances parental buy in, and reinforces the healthy activity levels and messages that youth receive at school, not to forget the direct health benefits to the adults themselves.
“Healthy Aroostook has provided exemplary leadership and strategy to further engagement in physical activity by empowering community groups, and providing resources for them to do so,” she said. “Fostering these partnerships and opportunities has the potential to initiate systemic change and long-term outcomes of increasing physical activity and reducing obesity and poor health indicators.”
First Lady Ann LePage presented the award June 6 at a ceremony at the Hall of Flags in Augusta.
“We were really excited to receive the award,” said Brown. “I feel like we constantly do a lot of work to promote physical activity and nutrition in the community, and it was exciting for us to be recognized for the hard work that we’re doing.
“We don’t do the work to receive awards; we do the work for the betterment of the community, but by receiving the award, more people are aware of what we do which then helps us reach more people,” she said. “It helps us reach the people that we need to reach the most.”
Healthy Aroostook is a Healthy Maine Partnership and program of the Aroostook County Action Program.
The Maine Governor’s Council on Physical Activity was created in 1987 by former Gov. John McKernan. The mission of the Council is to promote wellness for Maine people through physical activity and other health policies and priorities. The Council consists of 25 members appointed by the governor, as well as an additional group of 30 liaisons who represent a broad spectrum of groups interested in health and wellness.
