Action Heroes
Thanks to everyone who nominated an Action Hero!
The 2010 Action Heroes will be announced at Healthy Shasta’s annual Walk this Way event on Saturday, October 2nd.
Why recognize Action Heroes?
We are all influenced by our surroundings...and often too busy to go out of our way to eat healthy and be physically active. Healthy Shasta wants to recognize and celebrate those who make healthy eating and physical activity choices convenient, enjoyable, affordable, more enticing or easier for others.
What is an Action Hero?
An Action Hero is any individual, organization, youth, business, or group who has gone the extra mile to help children, youth or adults incorporate physical activity and healthy eating into their daily routine. The nominee must be located in Shasta County. The selection committee will look for nominees whose efforts:
- • Empower others to make healthy eating and/or physical activity choices;
- • Make healthy choices easier, more accessible, or more enticing;
- • Reach a large number of people and/or those most in need of healthy lifestyle changes;
- • Have a long-term impact (such as a permanent policy or environmental change);
- • Have had a positive impact and inspire others; and/or;
- • Have gone above and beyond what might normally be expected.
Meet the 2009 Healthy Shasta Action Heroes!
Individual Adult: Kelly Ball
As a parent volunteer at her daughter's school, Kelly Ball serves on Bella Vista School's Parent Club and Health Council...read more »
Why we like Kelly:
Eating breakfast positively impacts student health and academic achievement, helping students stay alert and ready to learn. She demonstrates that dedicated parents can make positive changes at their children’s schools. Kelly volunteers her time to help students at Bella Vista School stay healthy and enjoy nutritious foods.
Kelly’s tips for improving the foods served to kids:
- 1. Lots of people have done these things – ask questions, steal their ideas and build off successful models.
- 2. Find the school staff that are supportive. Learn how things get done. There are many rules and processes when it comes to schools and government, save yourself from frustration by understanding the process from the beginning.
- 3. Smile and sell it – make it easy for people.
- 4. There are lots of resources out there! Combine them with your own creativity.
- 5. Other parents often want to help – especially if things are organized and they know their efforts will result in something positive.
- 6. Involve the students – it’s empowering for them and then they have a vested interest.
- 7. Make it fun and cool to entice the kids.
- 8. It’s extra work but the kids are worth it!
Websites with healthy school food information:
Organization/Business: City of Anderson
The City of Anderson (population 10,500) has incorporated health into their General Plan along with policies to support walkability...read more »
Why we like the City of Anderson:
Cities are not mandated to include health in their General Plans but we think it is good public policy to do so - resulting in improved health and quality of life for residents. Such policies positively impact residents for generations to come.
Tips from Anderson:
- 1. Involve youth! They have great ideas and energy - and it helps build the skills of future leaders. When current decision makers listen to youth great things can happen.
- 2. Small communities can get things done because people know each other.
- 3. Focus on the shared goals that bring people together, not the differences that drive them apart.
Anderson Links:
Individual Youth: Carly Rosen
Carly Rosen positively impacts the community through volunteer work related to nutrition and physical activity...read more »
Why we like Carly:
Carly has maintained her commitment and involvement with the Teen Center and local volunteer efforts throughout her senior year (a time when many teens might taper off). Carly goes above and beyond to help youth in her community live a healthy lifestyle.
Tips from Carly:
- 1. Always try to eat something new, especially if it's healthy for you.
- 2. Always drink water!
- 3. Listen to your mom when she suggests you join a certain group. In the end she is usually right.
Club/Group: Cub LEAN
These students provide a consistent voice for eating healthy and being physically active at Anderson High School...read more »
Why we like Cub LEAN:
Not only are these teens great role models for their peers, they reach out to promote healthy lifestyles and even worked with their school food service to improve menu offerings. Students are much more effective at teaching their peers and encouraging healthy behaviors than a teacher or adult could be - and these teens make it fun!
Tips from Cub LEAN:
- 1. Get involved, share your knowledge and experiences, and make sure your voice is heard by attending School Board meetings and community functions.
- 2. Follow through with your tasks, be accountable for your actions, and celebrate your successes!
- 3. Learn from failure, anticipate some challenges or barriers, and don't give up!
Favorite Recipe of Cub LEAN's:
Healthy Shasta Partners Walk The Talk
Each Healthy Shasta partner is committed to making healthy eating and physical activity choices easier for the people they serve. Just a few of the things Healthy Shasta partners have done to make healthy choices easier for others:
- • Highlighting healthy options and removing soda from vending machines
- • Unlocking and promoting stairwells
- • Providing bicycles for employees to use
- • Serving healthier foods at meetings or trainings (such as more fruits, vegetables and whole grains)
- • Expanding trails systems
- • Creating safer bicycling and walking routes to schools
- • Adding a farmers' market to a regular community event
You can make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice!
There are many ways you or your organization can make healthy living easier for the people you have contact with. Simple changes include sending healthier snacks when your child brings items to share at a school or sports party, or offering fresh fruit as an alternative to doughnuts at staff meetings. More permanent changes might include installing bicycle racks, promoting the use of stairwells, or setting nutrition guidelines for foods purchased with your organization's money. For more ideas:
- • See Healthy Shasta's Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice
- • Use the ENACT Tool for checklists and models specific to schools, work sites, government, communities, childcare and more.
- • Improve your employee's health with the Fit Business Kit or offer Take Action
- • Visit Active Living by Design's website
- • Review the Promising Strategies for Creating Healthy Eating and Active Living Environments, which outlines research proven strategies.
