Pieces are moving in the right direction for Carter County to become a designated Healthier Tennessee Community through the Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness.
Grow Carter County – the group working toward the designation – held a committee meeting Wednesday afternoon and learned that progress is being made, but the there’s still work to completed.
Stacy Baugues, with the Healthier Tennessee Communities, was in attendance and told the group that they’ve reach their target goal of workplace partners but are just a few numbers off from their target goal of 10 places of worship.
Being a Healthier Tennessee Community requires a county to encourage and enable more physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco abstinence at the local level.
Workplaces and places of worship that are partnered with the group receive free resources from the state to encourage their employees or congregation to live healthier lives and enacts a community-wide approach to spread a message of a healthier and more-fulfilling lifestyle.
Grow Carter County has two churches that decided to sign up with the initiative – Calvary Baptist Church and Hopwood Memorial Christian Church – but are still seeking other faith-based organizations that want to lend a helping hand to the cause.
“I’m confident we can get this done by next month,” Josh McKinney, Grow Carter County chair, told attendees adding that different churches have expressed interest in taking part in the endeavor.
Baugues confirmed that worship groups from various churches or local faith-based charities could be brought in to reach that Place of Worship goal.
The grassroots effort is always in search of individuals looking to help the community, McKinney said.
“It’s a movement; there’s no cap,” he said. “We want to grow this committee with people who are wanting to help the county.”
Yolanda Vestal also added the group could look at partnering with organization clubs and organizations throughout the community – Carter County Proud, IDEAS Group, Elizabethton Arts & Cultural Alliance.
According to information provided by the group, in Tennessee, one in five adults smokes, and one in five high school students uses tobacco. Approximately 34 percent of the population is classified as obese, and an additional 34 percent are overweight. Type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure are also at epidemic levels.
Once Grow Carter County reaches its mark for places of worship, the group will continue its outreach to have a member of county and city government being representative on the committee.
If Grow Carter County receives designation as a Healthier Tennessee Community, expected to be announced in 2018 – various grant opportunities will be available to help keep proactive programs in place to assist Carter County and Elizabethton citizens looking to live more healthy.
Individuals, places of worship or community leaders wanting to get involved can email McKinney at director@uwayecc.org or visit the Grow Carter County Facebook page. The group is also kicking up their social media presence with Twitter and Instagram, too, which the public is encouraged to like and share with friends and family.