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The Pioneering Healthier Communities Dream Team includes Patrece Beverly (Pike Co. Health Dept.), Anna Morrow (Pike County Schools), Carol Napier (Pike County Judge’s Office), Ron Slone (Pike County Transportation), Sheila Belcher (Pikeville Medical Center), Sherry Riddle, (Executive Director of the Pikeville YMCA), Dr. Jyothi Mettu (pediatric physician) and Tami Boling (YMCA partner coach). Also on the team, but not pictured are Leslie Combs (Ky. State Representative), Kay Baird (YMCA partner coach), Suzanne Stumbo (UK Dept of Agriculture), Christie Honamaker (UK Extension Office) and Dawn Rowe (Pikeville Independent Schools).

Pikeville YMCA selected for healthier communities initiative

Sixteen communities in Connecticut, Kentucky and Tennessee have been selected to build statewide networks to help reduce childhood obesity rates, according to the YMCA of the USA. These communities will be part of Y-USA’s Activate America: Pioneering Healthier Communities (PHC) initiative.

The Pikeville Area Family YMCA was chosen as one of the six Ys in Kentucky to participate in this statewide policy change initiative to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. Sherry Riddle, executive director of the Pikeville Y, put together a “dream team” of local citizens which traveled to Washington, DC last September to meet with the other participants and to discuss desired outcomes for the project.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has committed $6.8 million over five years to support the expansion of the Y-USA’s PHC initiative. The 16 communities in Connecticut, Kentucky and Tennessee are the first group funded by RWJF, with communities in three more states to be selected in 2010. Each team will receive funding over a two year period to cover training and seed the implementation of a community action plan.

“Through Pioneering Healthier Communities, the YMCA is joining with community partners and local and state governments to reverse alarming trends in the nation’s health,” said Neil Nicoll, president and chief executive officer, YMCA of the USA. “PHC is helping communities to make healthy behaviors an easier choice, not just the healthier choice. These opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating are laying a foundation to help reduce the risk of chronic diseases that have taken such a serious toll on individuals throughout our communities.”

Sherry Riddle adds, “No one organization can address the childhood obesity problem in Pike County alone. Our Y has involved community leadership from schools, hospitals, businesses, health-focused foundations, public health, faith-based groups, government and academic institutions. This initiative will be instrumental in influencing environmental and policy changes that affect community walkability, pedestrian safety, and access to physical activity (through enhanced city planning where pedestrians, bicyclists, and cars can safely co-exist; preserved open space and expanded trails; enhanced physical education/activity requirements before, during and after school), and access to fresh fruits and vegetables (through healthy vending and working meeting options, working with corner stores in food desserts to provide fresh produce in neighborhoods where access is scarce).”