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P.O. Box 2078 Madison, Wisconsin 53701-2078 www.pplusic.com (608) 282-8900 (800) 545-5015 |
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Press Release Archive September 14, 2005 YMCA Initiative Fuels Community-Based Approach to Combat Obesity and Chrionic Diseases One year after launching YMCA Activate America: Pioneering Healthier Communities Project, YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for the nation’s 2,595 YMCAs, announced the YMCA of Dane County as one of twenty communities nationally to continue working on “YMCA Activate America: Pioneering Healthier Communities™” bringing the total of YMCAs participating nationally to thirty-four. Through this initiative, the YMCA of Dane County is serving as a “connector”, bringing together high-level representatives from the government, public health and private sectors to drive meaningful change. “There is an urgent challenge facing all Americans to find a healthier, more life-enhancing way to live, one that demands a fundamentally new and aggressive social response. Individually, each of us must take responsibility -- and help our children and families take responsibility -- for healthy living,” said Pat O’Brien, president of the YMCA of Dane County. “Collectively, all sectors of our communities and nation must come together to advance a common strategy to remove the barriers and increase the supports for healthy living for individuals and families.” O’Brien added. Following the model of the 2004 communities, YMCAs in these 20 communities will compose a team consisting of local leaders which may include elected officials, state and local directors of public health organizations, business leaders from various industries, as well as local hospitals. The local team which consists of representatives from the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Fit City Madison, Dane CAN, Madison Department of Public Health, Physicians Plus, Diabetes and Wellness Foundation, Olympic Athlete, Suzy Favor Hamilton, Morgan Murphy Media, and YMCA staff will convene at the YMCA Activate America: Pioneering Healthier Communities National Conference to be held in Washington, DC on November 30 – December 2, 2005. This second annual conference will focus on educating these community leaders on strategies and models to effect solutions that can be replicated nationwide. YMCAs are collectively the nation’s largest providers of childcare, afterschool, and youth sports programs and are working to incorporate physical activity into all aspects of youth, family and community programming. Visit www.ymcadanecounty.org for more information. |