Weekly Ride Along

Weekly Ride Along by Julie Harris
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Riding with:  Jane Morgan

Over the summer, I will be soliciting volunteers who have wanted to try bicycle commuting but have not taken the next step to getting out there.  There could be many reasons for reluctance – not sure what route to take, nervousness about the prospect of riding in traffic, or maybe not sure how to handle the logistics of morphing from a cyclist to an employee once arriving at the destination.  Whatever the reason is, I’m hoping to help knock down those barriers, meet some new people, and enjoy some great rides in many different parts of our city.

First up, we have Jane Morgan.  I met Jane at the Omaha CycloFemme ride on Mother’s Day when I announced that I was looking for volunteers for this project.  I’m so glad she tracked me down!

Jane and her husband raised their kids in Emerson, Iowa, and have just moved into Council Bluffs within the past year.  The live near the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, a very deliberate strategy on their part, with bikeability being one of the key factors in their decision.  Jane works at Camping World in Council Bluffs, and needed to arrive by 7:30am.

Jane (and her husband) are no strangers to bicycling; in fact, they have ridden RAGBRAI multiple times.  With all of those miles under her belt, however, riding in traffic was still a nerve wracking prospect for her.  (Think about it – RAGBRAI may be out on the road, but the only traffic is other cyclists!)  The ride to work isn’t far (4 miles or so) but it does involve some areas currently under construction that were of concern.

I parked at the base of the BobKerreyBridge and met up with Jane just over the river along the Riverfront Trail.  The first half of the ride is along the trail, which was fantastic.  We merged in with traffic when we hit Nebraska Avenue, and we talked about the importance of lane positioning:  don’t be tempted to ride as close to the right edge of the road as possible, as drivers may have the impression that they can squeeze into that same lane with you… potentially squeezing you right off the side of the road.  Rather, the best position is the right one-third of the lane. We quickly turned onto 35^th and then Mid America Drive, which is nice and wide, with a center turn lane.

It was the final major intersection to navigate – 24^th Street & MidAmerica Drive – that had Jane the most concerned.  There is a lot of truck traffic in this area, and the intersection is currently under construction with some lane changes and barricades.  This stretch isn’t very long, but it is imitating looking for sure.  In this case, we talked about the importance of taking the FULL lane through the construction zone.  We were moving at the same speed as the traffic, and we certainly did not want to encourage a car to try to get around us or share the lane with us in that instance.  Once we were through the intersection, we resumed our spot in the right one-third of the lane and arrived at our destination shortly after that.  She would be ready for work shortly after that, having brought a change of clothes with her to work the previous day.  Great strategy!

Jane’s love of bicycling has served her well in more ways than one.  She’s a breast cancer survivor, strong enough to ride the first 250 miles of RAGBRAI last year just a few weeks after a lumpectomy!  Chemo and radiation followed, with her realizing that she felt stronger than she expected – and at her weakest point, realizing that her legs were still strong, even if the rest of her was not.  She credits her active lifestyle with her body’s ability to fight through everything that the cancer and the treatment threw at her.

It was awesome to share that beautiful morning with Jane – a great ride, and even greater inspiration.  Thanks, Jane!

Julie Harris, MPA
Project Manager,  Activate Omaha
(402) 934-5923
12565 West Center Road, Ste 220
Omaha, NE  68144
jharris@activateomaha.org

Drive Less, Bike More!

Healthy Vending in Omaha

by Dean Ross

Have no fear for vending machines! My fear of vending machines came from not knowing how to read nutrition labels, although I knew that vendors offered some healthy products. I was afraid that I would make the wrong choice, which would immediately result in a waistline the size of a Buick, to paraphrase an old Woody Allen line. But thanks to my time spent at Douglas County Health Department (DCHD), I now know that healthy choices are available in vending machines. And better still, I know that in the not-too-distant future, those healthy choices will be easier to identify.

As a graduate student in Health Education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, I was fortunate to work at DCHD on a project to determine the best ways to make the healthy choice the easy choice for vending machine customers in the Omaha area. The project involves researching healthy vending programs in other communities to learn the best practices and lessons learned in implementing healthy vending. Also, DCHD is reaching out to local vending machine operators, customers and corporate wellness representatives to get their feedback on healthy vending and to identify problems and opportunities for making healthy choices more accessible.

One of the big challenges in implementing healthy vending practices is identifying and labeling healthy foods and beverages. The DCHD and its partners are working to develop guidelines for healthy vending that will include easy to read labels, posters, and other signage to make sure that the healthy choice is the easy choice.

DCHD’s work to promote healthy vending practices will not stop at simply providing guidelines, stickers and posters – they will be working with local vendors and corporate wellness representatives to help them implement healthy vending practices.

So fear not! The future looks bright for identifying healthy choices in vending machines.

If you would like to learn more about DCHD’s healthy vending project, please contact Sarah Schram at sarah.schram@douglascounty-ne.gov.

DCHD’s healthy vending project is funded through a Community Transformation Grant from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and aims to promote Healthy Eating and Active Living.

Schools commit to healthy choices for students

Guest blog by Mary Balluff, MS RD, LMNT, Chief, Community Health and Nutrition Services at Douglas County Health Department

Schools offer a place where children get a chance every day to practice being healthy. The habits they learn and experience in school are part of their lives today and in the future.  What happens before, during and after school helps children learn to be comfortable with physical activity and enjoy the flavors of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Douglas County Health Department and Live Well Omaha, as part of a three-year partnership to “Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice”, attempts to create places that support each of our own decisions to be healthy.  Children in our schools deserve that same environment where they can practice healthy habits every day.

Our schools see the benefit of gardens, classroom physical activity breaks and walking and biking support. When schools take advantage of the array of programs and partner with public organizations like our health department and wellness groups, kids can learn healthy habits that can spark community change.

At a recent meeting of Omaha Public Schools Wellness Committee, where principals, teachers and staff learn new approaches to healthy school environments, I saw partnership at work. For schools to create that healthy place, they need community support – from the curriculum and resources that organizations provide to the parents who volunteer and the teachers who serve as role models.

I encourage all of us to commit to supporting healthier community schools. We want to make sure that the many hours kids spend in school are filled with learning in an environment that through demonstration and opportunity helps them build health habits that can last a lifetime.

City to Host First of Four “Play Streets” Events at Aksarben Village

Click Map to Enlarge

On Sunday, April 28^th the City of Omaha will host the first of four Play Streets events.  Sunday’s event will take place in Aksarben Village from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, in conjunction with YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day.  The event will feature youth-friendly activities such as a rock wall, bounce house, bike safety training, gardening demonstrations and more.

Last November, the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced that Omaha is one of ten cities across the nation to receive grant funding to host Play Streets in 2013. The Play Streets initiative promotes health and wellness by creating open activity space for youth, family, and community members.  Omaha was selected to participate in the Play Streets initiative based on the willingness of city leadership to work collaboratively to promote health education and physical activity among our young people.

“I’m excited to take part in the first of four Play Streets events in conjunction with YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day,” said Mayor Suttle.  “I encourage families across the metro to come to Aksarben Village for a day of free play, healthy food, and community togetherness.”

The event is free and open to the public. Families across the metro are encouraged to attend.  Attached please find a map with parking and access street info.

The 2013 Omaha Play Streets events will take place on the following dates and times:

• Sunday, April 28^th at Aksarben Village from 11:00am to 4:00pm
• Sunday, May 26^th in South Omaha from 2:00pm to 7:00pm
• Saturday, July 27^th in Downtown Omaha from 8:00am to 2:00pm
• Sunday, August 25^th in North Omaha from 3:00pm to 7:00pm

More information about the Play Streets program is available at: www.OpenStreetsOmaha.org.

Omaha to Open Streets to Play Streets

Last November, the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced that Omaha is one of ten cities across the nation to receive grant funding to host Play Streets in 2013. The Play Streets initiative promotes health and wellness by creating open activity space for youth, family, and community members. Play Streets will be the kickoff to future Open Streets Omaha events.

The Omaha Play Streets events will take place in Midtown, South Omaha, Downtown, and North Omaha neighborhoods. Play Street events will be targeted toward children and families in underserved neighborhoods.  Events will feature youth-friendly activities such as a rock wall, bike safety training, cooking demonstrations, vegetable seed planting, 4-square and more.  Each event will be connected to an existing farmer’s market or host healthy food vendors.

All events are free and open to the public.  Families across the metro are encouraged to attend. The 2013 Omaha Play Streets events will take place on the following dates and times:

• Sunday, April 28^th at Aksarben Village from 11:00am to 4:00pm—In conjunction with YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day
• Sunday, May 26^th in South Omaha from 2:00pm to 7:00pm
• Saturday, July 27^th in Downtown Omaha from 8:00am to 2:00pm
• Sunday, August 25^th in North Omaha from 3:00pm to 7:00pm

More information about the Play Streets program is available at: www.OpenStreetsOmaha.org and on facebook. To get involved please email info@OpenStreetsOmaha.org. Additional information about Omaha Play Streets will be released in the coming weeks.

Access to Safe, Nutritious Food and Water is Fundamental Human Right: Updated Position Of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Consistent access to safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food and water is a fundamental human right, and is particularly important in helping developing nations to achieve food and nutrition security, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in its newly updated position paper, Nutrition Security in Developing Nations: Sustainable Food, Water and Health.

Achieving food and nutrition security also includes policies, systems, programs and practices that are self-sufficient and environmentally and economically sustainable, according to the Academy.

The Academy’s position paper has been published in the April Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and can be found on the Academy’s website. It states:

It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that all people should have consistent access to an appropriately nutritious diet of food and water, coupled with a sanitary environment, adequate health services and care that ensure a healthy and active life for all household members.The Academy supports policies, systems, programs and practices that work with developing nations to achieve nutrition security and self-sufficiency while being environmentally and economically sustainable.

Nutrition security includes access to nutritious foods and drinkable water; knowledge, resources and skills for healthy living; prevention, treatment and care for diseases affecting nutrition status; and safety net systems during crisis situations, such as natural disasters or social and political turmoil, according to the Academy.

Throughout the world, approximately 30 percent of children under age 5 are stunted in their growth and 18 percent are underweight. While these percentages are decreasing, they remain unacceptably high in some regions. In addition, vitamin and mineral deficiencies affect about 36 percent of the world’s population.

The Academy’s position paper focuses on nutrient deficiencies in developing nations and the contributions – especially on the part of food and nutrition practitioners – that are necessary to create global solutions.

The Academy’s position paper addresses many factors contributing to nutrition security, including sustainable use of resources; agricultural systems; maternal, infant and child health; gender equality; universal primary education; food and water systems; economic systems; partnerships for development; national food and nutrition policies, laws and programs; and proposed solutions.

Registered dietitian nutritionists, dietetic technicians, registered and other health practitioners play an important role in achieving global nutrition security, domestically and internationally. The Academy’s position paper outlines ways nutrition professionals can become involved in promoting global nutrition security.

The Academy’s position paper was written by registered dietitian Stacia M. Nordin, sustainable nutritionist, Malawi; Marie Boyle, professor and chair, foods and nutrition program, College of Saint Elizabeth; and Teresa M. Kemmer, assistant professor, South Dakota State University.

NPR Airs Stories on Childhood Obesity Epidemic

National Public Radio (NPR) aired two stories on the childhood obesity epidemic and healthy eating. Both are part of NPR’s series “On the Run: How Families Struggle to Eat Well and Exercise,” which is based on a poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. Both stories conclude with what Cooking Matters is already teaching families: that eating nutritious meals together as a family can make a real difference in a child’s healthy food habits.  [NPR 1 and NPR 2]

OHA Committed to Promoting Healthy Choices

Live Well Omaha and Douglas County Health Department know that our thriving community depends on organizations that commit to a healthier lifestyle at home and at work. The Omaha Housing Authority (OHA) has successfully worked as a “Partner for a Healthy City,” not only to help its employees make the healthy choice the easy choice at work, but for its residents to make the healthy choice at home as well.

Healthy food and beverage options are an easy choice available for OHA employees. Water is available at all times and there are healthy vending options, thanks to official organizational policies OHA drafted as a Partner for a Healthy City. As important as nutrition is, physical activity is just as important. Fridays are named “Get Fit Friday” where employees grab a friend and are encouraged to walk over their lunch hour.

OHA encouraged both good nutrition and physical activity with a friendly competition among employees. The “Biggest Loser” contest engaged 57 employees who lost a total of 300 pounds, with the top ten participants losing 180 pounds this last round.

OHA’s commitment to health goes beyond its 170 employees that are impacted by the new policies. OHA has presented the opportunity for its residents to live in smoke-free housing in 1,589 apartment units, as well as three six-plex buildings and 40 single family homes with more homes to turn smoke-free this year. This affects 1,867 residents: 1,567 adults and 300 children. Also, OHA offers health clinics, provided by the Charles Drew Health Center, in four of their towers to make access to quality health care easy and affordable to residents.

The Omaha Housing Authority plans to continue efforts and make them sustainable by forming a wellness committee at each of their sites.

The Omaha Housing Authority is one of more than 350 organizations that have made a policy change and have become a Partner for a Healthy City. Partners for a Healthy City helps organizations identify and implement environmental changes or policies that make eating healthy, being active, or not smoking the easy choice. The goal is to have over 400 organizations participating and making more than 500 policies or environmental changes. For more information about Partners for a Healthy City, visit www.partnersforahealthycity.org.

Families Preparing Dinner, Dining Together has Many Benefits

Live Well Omaha Kids encourages families to cook and eat at home more nights per week as a family, and now has the tools to help you make it happen. Studies show that kids who eat at home with their families are more likely to try new foods and eat more nutritious foods, such as whole grains, low-fat dairy, vegetables, fruit and lean meat. Family dining also benefits family communication, and supports healthy teen development. So why are only 23 percent of families eating dinner at home together 0 to 3 days per week according to a Gallup poll? In the typical family where work and activity schedules stack up, family dining can seem like an impossible feat.

Live Well Omaha Kids, staffed and funded by Alegent Creighton Health, is teaming up with the Douglas County Health Department, Hunger Free Heartland, Midwest Dairy Council and UNL Extension to help make this healthy habit easy and fun for families. Simply take the Live Well Omaha Kids Family Dining Pledge at http://livewellomahakids.org/pledge/ and start receiving support, recipes and expert advice to bring your family back to the table.

By taking the pledge, you will receive a monthly email newsletter from Live Well Omaha Kids with news, tips and recipes to help you keep your pledge to cook and eat at home more nights each week. Take the Family Dining Pledge before March 31, and you’ll be entered to win a year subscription to emeals.com.

Courtney Brewer, Omaha mom and full-time graphic designer at EG Integrated, can tell you how she got her family back to the table. Everyone has a role at mealtime. Her son, Collin gets to pick what he eats, but must sit at the table until everyone is finished eating. Her husband helps with grocery shopping and some meal preparation to ease the burden on Courtney. “I work full-time and run an independent business, so I have to have support from my husband in order to make eating as a family happen at our house,” said Brewer. “It’s never a perfect process, but we have a lot of fun in those moments together at the table.”

Live Well Omaha Kids wants to know what works for you at home. Find us on Facebook and share your success stories, or ask us a question. Here, you’ll also find useful Family Dining tips, such as:

• No screens allowed at the dinner table
• Make it a positive atmosphere
• Make it easy and fun
• Offer healthy choices
• Involve the whole family in the meal preparation, cooking or cleanup

Live Well Omaha Kids was created in 2006 by Alegent Creighton Health, the largest not-for-profit health system in Nebraska, in partnership with Live Well Omaha with the sole purpose of fighting childhood obesity. Alegent Creighton Health hired experienced leadership to help drive the community effort and pledged financial support through their community benefit commitment to support unmet community health needs. Now in its sixth year of operations, Live Well Omaha Kids collaborates with public, private and not-for-profit entities to maximize community impact of the collective work happening within the Omaha metro area.

JOB DESCRIPTION: Executive Director, Live Well Omaha

Live Well Omaha  (LWO) is a non-profit collaborative with over a 17-year history of commitment to improving the overall health of area residents.  Live Well Omaha is committed to making Omaha a thriving and healthy community.  LWO does this by being the purveyor of health data, the catalyst and convener around community health issues, and the incubator for new initiatives supporting healthy behavior.The LWO collaborative is made up of diverse individuals, organizations and institutions.  It includes schools, health care professionals, faith-based and community-based organizations, private sector companies and officials from all levels of government.  The collaborative is committed to cultivating a physical and cultural environment that encourages everyone in Omaha and Douglas County to ensure that the healthy choice is the easiest choice at any time, in any place, and every time.

Job Summary:
Live Well Omaha (LWO) is seeking an energetic individual with strong leadership skills whocan lead this well-established and successful community cross-sectorcollaborative to the next level. The executive director will promote LWO and its mission by cultivating commitment and partnerships within the community, develop and implement plans as directed by the Coordinating Council and the Executive Committee of the Board,and will managestaff and daily operations.

Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Works with the Board of Directors and Coordinating Council to ensure implementation of the strategic plan.
2. Coordinates effortswith partnering organizations such as health organizations, state and county offices, universities, and local business and associations to ensure that LWO complements their efforts.
3. Collects data and information for program development and evaluation and assists Task Group chairs in developing, implementing and evaluating data-driven and community-driven, outcome-accountable programs.
4. Identifies informational and/or educational opportunities to carry forward the work of LWO and shares with appropriate partners.
5. Serves as the LWO liaison to the community at large to gather and exchange information and keep abreast of other community initiatives.
6. Coordinates media plans designed by the Public Relations Committee to raise public awareness of LWO’s progress and contributions.
7. Leads the overall, day-to-day operations of LWO.
8. Assesses organizational program and financial status and reports regularly to the Board of Directors.
9. Works with accounting agency to maintain LWO’s finances. Monitors expenditures, prepares an annual budget and adheres to financial policies.
10. Evaluates and recommends funding sources and strategies such as foundation, corporate, local, state and federal grants and fundraising through special events.
11. Manages development of grant applications, participates in grant preparation as appropriate, and ensures grant accountability.
12. Attends and/or arranges meetings and events relevant to the business of LWO.
13. Maintains stakeholder database.
14. Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Masters degree in Community Health, non profit management, planning or related field.
• Five or more years of non-profit, government and/or related professional experience.
• Leadership experience across diverse community groups and various business and community sectors
• Successful experience with developing and implementing multi-organizational community projects
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience in developing grants and in meeting grant expectations
• Strong computer skills

Salary: Salary commensurate with experience; generous benefit package is provided.

To apply: E-mail resume and cover letter to:

Mary Lee Fitzsimmons
Interim Director, LWO
mlfitzsimmons@livewellomaha.org

The deadline for receipt is February 22, 2013.