News Release
For Immediate Release: March 30, 2010
Contact Person: Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, 301-334-7730
Local Healthy Habit Challenge promotes
“A Healthier America : One Community at a Time”
Click on image above for complete printable form.
The Garrett County Health Department recognizes this year's National Public Health Week's theme of “A Healthier America: One Community at a Time” by sponsoring the “Healthy Habit Challenge.”
As the national debate surrounding health reform continues, public health leaders across the country are calling on Americans to commit to making America a healthier nation, one community at a time.
This week the Garrett County Health Department is unveiling the “Healthy Habit Challenge” as a way to show individuals that becoming healthier is accomplished by making healthy choices, one decision at a time. The challenge, which is part of the annual National Public Health Week observance, asks participants to complete at least 10 Health Habits, from a list of 25, during Public Health Week, April 5-11, 2010.
“Garrett County residents can make a real difference if they commit to healthy behaviors for themselves, their children and families,” said Garrett County Health Officer Rodney Glotfelty . “We will find real change when we shift from a health system of sick care to one focused on the prevention of disease and injury. Individuals and communities must adopt public health policies and practices that keep us all healthy.”
Challenge participants who complete at least 10 Health Habits and return their forms to the Garrett County Health Department by Friday, April 16 th , at 5 pm will have their name entered into a drawing for a Wellness Gift. Participants completing 15 Health Habits will have their name entered into the drawing twice. The complete Healthy Habit Challenge form is printed in this edition of the newspaper, or can be printed from the Health Department website at www.garretthealth.org.
“Along with the individual health habits that each of us is working on, we need to also realize that public health happens on a much larger scale too,” said Glotfelty, “from the air we breathe and the water we drink, to the laws that protect us from injury and the vaccines that help us stay healthy.”
“Our ultimate goal is to make America the healthiest nation in one generation. We envision our nation as a place where everyone has access to health care and service, and a healthy lifestyle is celebrated,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), executive director of the American Public Health Association. “We want to make it easy for communities to make healthy choices every day. If we each commit to promoting good health in our communities, we can create a ripple effect across our neighborhoods, our cities, states and, hopefully, our nation.”
For more information about National Public Health Week or the Health Habit Challenge, contact the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.