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Show Page 4 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume IV, Issue II May 1, 2001 Public Health Heroes Honored by Health Community and Governor Weber County Pathways Town Meeting Slated Last year the Utah Quality Growth Commission held a series of town meetings to receive public input on growth-related issues. Weber County’s meeting was the best attended in the entire state. The most important priorities identified by citizens at that meeting were: Identification of critical lands prior to the planning process and, Better coordination between governmental agencies. In response to these concerns, Weber County Pathways is organizing an inter-governmental conference on open-space planning in the county as it relates to non-motorized pathways. This conference will include a public Town Meeting at 6:00 p.m., May 10, in the Weber County Commission Chambers, 2380 Washington Blvd. Short presentations will be followed by an opportunity for public questions and input. All are invited to come and express their ideas about planning for trails and green space in the county. Salt Lake City - The theme of Public Health Month 2001, “Utah’s Public Health is for Everybody, Everyday and Everywhere,” reminds us of the broad reach of public health in the everyday lives of Utahns. But, when public health is at its best, we often don’t know it’s there working for us. Consequently, many Utahns are unaware of the many hours of hard work and dedication that go into making Utah a healthy state. Who are the people behind the success of public health? In recognition of those who dedicate their lives to public health, the Utah Alliance for Public Health recently honored three Utah Public Health Heroes/Heroines at a proclamation signing with Governor Micheal O. Leavitt on April 19 in his office at the Utah State Capitol. The proclamation declared April as Public Health Month, and Governor Leavitt honored the Public Health heroes. Members of the Alliance, which include representatives from the Utah Department of Health, Utah’s 12 Local Health Departments, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, and the Utah Public Health Association, selected the following winners who have greatly impacted public health in Utah. Category: Public Health Professional Kathryn Brown, Utah’s Public Health Employee Heroine, works parttime for Salt Lake Valley Health Department as a data entry specialist but spends many hours of her time in public health service. She currently volunteers at the Rape Recovery Center, the Utah AIDS Foundation, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. She is involved in hours of community education, hospital intervention, counseling with survivors, advocacy, and fundraisers. “Volunteering helps bring me purpose - it keeps me humble” says Brown, who herself has endured countless hardships in her life. “I treasure the lessons that have impacted my soul. They have pushed me towards giving, to touch the hearts of others, as those that have touched mine.” Certainly, Kathryn Brown has touched the lives of many through her public health service. Category: Community Tobacco prevention in the Bear River Health Department hasn’t been the same since Carol Johnson showed up. Carol, Utah’s Public Health Heroine from the community, works as a teacher at Logan High School where she spearheads her own tobacco prevention program. Under her direction, more than 40 youth meet on a weekly volunteer basis to coordinate schoolbased prevention activities, including the Utah Department of Health’s statewide “Truth About Tobacco Contest,” school-wide assemblies, and countless presentations to local elementary schools. Carol has even taken the tobacco industry head-on when she realized that the industry sponsored textbook covers in her school. She obtained funding and sponsored a contest to have students redesign the book covers. Although Carol receives no financial reimbursement for her efforts and her time is completely voluntary, she states that her reward is seeing the impact that the youth make at their own school. Thanks to Carol’s efforts, enthusiasm and commitment to tobacco prevention activities, smoking is not the “cool thing to do” at Logan High. Category: Organization What organization would seek to increase physical activity, improve air quality, prevent child injury, and promote positive youth development? Weber County Pathways, Utah’s Public Health Organization Hero, has successfully taken on all these public health issues by promoting, planning, and preserving a network of non-motorized pathways linking all of Weber County. This nonprofit organization based in Ogden, Utah, educates the public and elected officials about the importance of maintaining pathways within their community. These pathways impact public health significantly by encouraging physical activity through biking and walking and decreasing pedestrian injury and pollution by motor vehicles. Weber County Pathways has recently purchased ten miles of railroad for paths and habitat, helped plan a series of bike lanes in Ogden City, helped to create a hiking program for inner-city fifth graders, developed an Eden Trail to provide safe passage for school children in Ogden Valley, and constructed a white water kayak park in downtown Ogden. Thanks to this organization, Ogden residents can reap the benefits of public health. Congratulations to these contributors to public health. Public Health Month not only provides an opportunity to celebrate successful public health programs, it presents an ideal time to recognize and honor the many people who promote and protect the public health of all Utahns. Trail Workday Planned by Weber County Pathways A Trail Work Day has been scheduled by Weber County Pathways for Saturday, April 28 at 9:00 a.m. at the Jumpoff Canyon Trailhead, 420 N. Harrison Blvd. in Ogden, across from Ranch and Country Home Outfitters 2145 N. 5500 E. across from Eden General Store (801) 745-9628 or 791-4387 New Owner - Shanna Francis Attend an Open House Friday April 27 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. Refreshments served. Come in and find great home furnishings and accent pieces at great prices. Call for private appointment. the St. James Church. Anyone interested in trail building is invited to come join in. All tools will be provided. Bring your own work gloves, etc. |