Making city, county healthier and more active

Friday, November 17, 2017

Health by Design and the Indiana State Department of Health, in partnership with the Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program, will present a Thursday, Nov. 30 workshop designed to help Greencastle and communities throughout Putnam County become healthier and more active for all ages and abilities.

The day-long workshop -- set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, 202 E. Washington St. -- will bring together city staff, community stakeholders and civic leaders to learn about the benefits of designing and building for active living and strategies for success.

The group will conduct an informal walk audit of nearby infrastructure to assess the accessibility and condition of sidewalks and street crossings, and prioritize built environment strategies to encourage active living in Greencastle.

“The purpose of the workshop is to help residents of Putnam County see that strong communities are built for all ages and abilities, and to begin planning and designing an environment that will make it easier for residents to be active in their daily lives,” Kim Irwin, executive director of Health by Design, said.

Health by Design is a coalition that works to ensure that communities throughout Indiana have neighborhoods, public spaces and transportation infrastructure that promote physical activity and healthy living.

“If someone can easily walk to the grocery store or bike to work, they’re more likely to do so on a regular basis, which benefits them and the community,” Irwin added. “We also encourage people to look at the built environment from the standpoint of whether someone using a wheelchair or pushing a stroller can easily move from one destination to another.”

Presenters will include staff from Health by Design and the Indiana State Department of Health, including:

-- Kim Irwin, executive director, Health by Design.

-- Kate Riordan, active living program manager, Health by Design.

-- JoEllen (Joey) Vrazel, active living consultant, Health by Design.

-- Pete Fritz, Healthy Communities planner, Indiana State Department of Health.

To participate, persons need to register by Wednesday, Nov. 22 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GreencastleALW.

Questions may be directed to Mindy Duckett at 317-752-7503 or duckett@purdue.edu.

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