Healthy Augusta Hits the Ground Running
By Amanda McDougald
Healthy Augusta, Inc. was founded as an organization that will inspire and create a social movement through the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) to improve the overall health of the CSRA by promoting and encouraging healthy habits through awareness, education, and support. The vision of the founder is to integrate multiple disciplines to focus on applying knowledge gained through research or otherwise for the good of our community. The idea is that action and awareness regarding healthy habits at a grassroots level should create changes in the way that people understand and integrate these ideas and habits into their daily lives. In short, people have to intrinsically desire to change their habits, and we would like to be agents of that motivation.
We currently have a questionnaire for PE teachers on the Richmond County Board of Education website in order to collect data regarding knowledge, adherence, and inhibitions of current PE policy in our schools. When this data is collected and assessed, Healthy Augusta would like to address what it is that we need to do to encourage our PE classrooms to be as productive and inclusive as possible.
Healthy Augusta has also initiated a logo contest through our schools in the CSRA, with cash rewards to the winners. First prize winners receive $100 and the usage of that winning logo for Healthy Augusta’s official logo. Second place winners will win $50, and the three runner-up winners will each receive $25.
“Let’s Walk, Augusta” will be Healthy Augusta’s first major event. At this event, we will combine a health fair and a community initiative to get Augusta walking. Sign-up sheets for each community will be provided to encourage a leader from each community to initiate a walking group in his/her own community. The walk will begin and end at The Salvation Army Kroc Center, in the Harrisburg community of Augusta, including a path 1 mile long through the Augusta Canal and the Harrisburg community. Health-supportive non-profits, organizations, and businesses will be invited to have booths at this event.
Healthy Augusta will partner with the First Saturday Crew on May 7, 2011 to engage in beautification efforts, joined by notable community leaders, at the Augusta Canal. We hope this endeavor inspires the communities to help keep Augusta’s recreation areas beautiful, and to utilize the wonderful, natural amenities that Augusta has to offer for outdoor sports and leisure.
Our first official publication for Healthy Augusta was published in the Augusta Chronicle on Wednesday, February 2, 2011. If you’re in the Augusta area and would like to get involved, contact us and we’ll get you connected!
