News Release

For Immediate Release                 Contact:  Irene G. Warren, Director of Development
December 8, 2004                                      (937) 374-5626 or 1-866-858-3588

Greene County Combined Health District,
WYSO and Partnerships for Success
Kick-Off Local Initiative to Improve Youth Fitness in Greene County

(Xenia, OH) Greene County Combined Health District (GCCHD), public radio station, WYSO and the Greene County Partnerships for Success have been awarded a grant of $42,500 to launch a comprehensive, community-based campaign for overweight and obesity issues that affect Greene County youth.  The program is part of Sound Partners for Community Health, a national project of the Benton Foundation funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  Sound Partners seeks to increase awareness of specific health issues and encourage citizen involvement in decisions that affect their health care.  This grant teams health districts, public radio and community partnerships together for a unique collaboration.

This initiative kicked off on December 4^th at the 5K Santa Run in support of the Women’s Recovery Center in Xenia.  Nine youth from Central Middle School, Xenia, ran the race, as part of their participation in “Let’s Run.”  “Let’s Run” is an after school running program started at Central Middle School by the Partnerships for Success Fitness Task Force.  Middle school students trained for the road race twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays, working with volunteers.    

“We are very pleased to be one of 36 partnerships selected nationally to forge real alliances between community health and public broadcasting.  Together GCCHD, WYSO and Partnerships for Success aim to make a real difference in the way the public understands and influences youth overweight and obesity,” stated, Sara Pappa, Director, Health Education at the Greene County Combined Health District and Chair of the Partnerships for Success Youth Fitness Task Force.

The $42,500 grant enables WYSO to work with high school students from Yellow Springs to produce radio diaries, to raise awareness and provide information regarding the importance of physical activity, good nutritional choices, and the importance of healthy weight.  The grant also supports fitness promotion activities, such as “Let’s Run” and the 2^nd Annual Greene County Fitness Challenge that will take place on May 21, 2005.

The Benton Foundation is recognized as a leader in promoting the significance of social benefits made possible by the public interest use of communications.  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the nation’s leading philanthropic foundation devoted exclusively to health and health care. 

For additional information contact Greene County Combined Health District, Sara Pappa, Director of Health Education at (937) 374-5662 or 1-866-858-3588.

Greene County Combined Health District – Your center for public health services
and health information in Greene County for over 70 years.

Healthy People…Healthy Communities