More ideas from LiveWell's 2nd community meetup

LJWorld.com weblogs Building a healthier community

Posted by Jane Stevens September 7, 2009 at 11:37 a.m.

More than 40 people turned out for last Thursday evening's community meeting at the Holcom Park Recreation Center, and offered up a plethora of great ideas for improving the community's health. And at the end, says Marilyn Hull, who led off the meeting with some basic info about LiveWell's goals, several people offered their services:

--A licensed psychologist offered to share expertise in behavior change, emotional eating and the mind/body connection.

http://worldonline.media.clients.elli... After the meeting, people lined up to talk with Marilyn Hull.

--Two registered dietitians offered to share nutrition expertise and resources.

--An expert on recreation programs for people with disabilities is willing to advise on accessibility issues and help start programs for kids with physical disabilities.

-- A person who leads a workplace wellness program at her place of employment is willing to help others start programs.

http://worldonline.media.clients.elli... People lingered to chat, then helped to put away the chairs, all of which had been occupied.

The meeting was tweeted out at #LJWhealth. For those of you who don't Twitter, here's a recap of the ideas:

--Extend the city's bike path.

--Add more walking trails around the river.

--Fitness clubs at schools.

--Yoga classes for kids and families.

--A resource center to find knowledgeable people to help structure after-school programs.

--Expand the "walking school bus" program.

--Because there's often a disconnect between what kids are taught at school and what they see in their families, figure out ways to include families.

--Because emotional and physical health are interconnected, focus on both, not just physical health. LiveWell Lawrence could become advocate for changes, and influence local governing bodies.

--Since advertising and marketing impact how we consume food, LiveWell could also do marketing, including LiveWell's own billboards.

--At the annual Thanksgiving run, create more runs for different ages of youth.

--Create more volunteer efforts for youth.

Next step: LiveWell director Marilyn Hull and Chip Blaser, who's executive director of Douglas County Community Foundation which is helping launch LiveWell, will sort out all the suggestions with other staff, and come up with a draft plan. They'll run it by the community and LiveWell's steering committee. We'll provide updates here.