The GET FIT program promotes physical fitness and good nutrition as a way to reduce the obesity crisis and lower rates of preventable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. The initiative includes nutrition and fitness programs in the schools, senior lifestyle initiatives, family programs that promote lifestyle change as well as various community garden projects.

 

The following programs are representative of the types of initiatives that GET FIT undertakes with a goal of improving nutrition and increasing physical activity:

 

 

The Marathon Challenge is an innovative educational program currently being offered in the fifth grades of all area schools. The program is designed to inspire children’s awareness about the importance of physical activity and a well balanced diet. Each child is challenged to run or walk a marathon during the six-week program. In addition, each student maintains a log that records his/her consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Williams College students, as well as occasional interns from other area colleges, assist with associated classroom teaching. Prizes, donated by Williams College, add to the fun of this program. 

 

For more information, contact Liz Grees, GET FIT Co-Manager at 413-664-5284 or lgrees@nbhealth.org

 

 

 

 

Families Making Changes is a 6 week series that assists children and their parents to make permanent changes in both their eating and exercise habits with a goal of permanent weight loss. This initiative provides an individualized plan for each family that will assist the family in making positive lifestyle changes. Dietitians from North Adams Regional Hospital, as well as a REACH physical education specialist, lead the program, which is held at the Clark House of the North Adams Regional Hospital campus. It is required that at least one parent attend each of the sessions.

 

For more information, contact Liz Grees, GET FIT Co-Manager at 413-664-5284 or lgrees@nbhealth.org

 

 

 

REACH is involved in several community garden projects with plans to expand into additional schools and neighborhoods.

 

 

Both Clarksburg Elementary School and Adams Memorial Middle School have partnered with their local senior centers to create an intergenerational collaboration for their gardens. Students grow seedlings and teachers help to integrate the experience into the school curriculum. Seniors are on hand at the senior centers to participate in planting, watering, harvesting and otherwise maintaining the garden sites.

 

 

 

Two neighborhoods in North Adams have community gardens. Residents helped start seedlings, plant, weed, water and harvest the vegetables. Children were especially interested in the gardens and neighborhood leaders have emerged to help keep the garden projects running. Neighborhoods had garden parties at the end of the year to clean the beds and to celebrate their hard work.

 

 

More neighborhoods will be involved in community gardening during 2007. North Adams schools will begin their own gardens to assist in reducing hunger in the Northern Berkshire area. REACH will partner with Target Hunger and the North Adams Public Schools Service Learning Program, among others, to address the issue of hunger and nutrition in our community.

 

For more information, or to lend a hand with gardening activities, please contact Jennifer Munoz at 413-664-5284 or jmunoz@nbhealth.org