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FAMILY DAY “A day to eat dinner with your family in Catawba County”
Finding it difficult to schedule dinner together at your house? Take
time to eat dinner with your family and gain tremendous health benefits.
Catawba County Health Partners hosted the first annual Family Day - A
Day to Eat Dinner with your Family in Catawba County on Monday,
September 25, 2006 at Southside Park in Newton from 5:00 pm – 8:00
p.m.
Family Day was a countywide event held where several county government,
community agencies, and community volunteers provided resources, time,
and energy into making the event a success. Family Day provided a light
healthy meal to over 800 people that attended the event. T-shirts, red
blankets, and goody bags were also distributed while supplies lasted. The
Last Chance Band, Exodus Homes, and the United Hmong Association offered
spectacular musical entertainment. Exodus Homes even tied in prevention
messages to their performances.There were several educational
displays set up by area hospitals, agencies, and businesses. Families
could participate in a health walk, volleyball, soccer, jump castles,
or other physical activity / healthy food demonstrations.
The goal was to encourage families to eat together. We hope to
make some long term changes in health behaviors. Research shows that
families that eat together have significant and long lasting benefits:
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less likely to use drugs, alcohol, or tobacco
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less likely to have sex at young ages
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less likely to be suspended from school
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better school performance
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better eating habits, less likely to be overweight
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stronger family bond and better family communication
Family Day was created in 2001 by The National Center on Addiction
and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University as a national effort
to promote family dinners as an effective way to reduce substance abuse
among American youth. North Carolina Governor Michael Easley, The
Catawba County Board of Health, Catawba County Board of Commissioners,
and Newton Mayor Robert A. Mullinax officially proclaimed Family
Day for September 25, 2006.
Event sponsors included: ROCK–OLA CAFÉ, Catawba Valley
Medical Center, Frye Regional Medical Center, Wallace Printing Incorporated,
A SIGNCO (Rudy and Donna Wright), The Cognitive Connection, Catawba County
Social Services, Catawba County Public Health Department, Catawba County
Sheriff’s Office- Sheriff David Huffman, Claremont Family Medicine,
Council on Adolescents of Catawba County, Exodus Homes, Family Net, Geppeto’s
Pizza and More, Mamma’s Monthly Menus, OTC-BMC Insurance Agency
LLC, Totally Teens Health Center, and YMCA of Catawba Valley.
A special thanks to Sam Moffitt and City of Newton Parks and Recreation
for all of their commitment!
Picture: Family Day Committee from left to right: Debra A. Young,
Tracey D. Paul, Debbie L. Bradley, Miriam A. Powell, Kathy H. Odom, Polly
R. Pearson, Trudy A. Logan, Maria G. Reese. Several members not pictured. |
