HEALTHY Armstrong in the News
In the News
Annual Report
HEALTHY Armstrong announces the completion of our 2009 Annual Report. Check out the entire report to see the progress HEALTHY Armstrong has made in the past year!
HEALTHY Lifestyle Extravaganza
Join HEALTHY Armstrong on Saturday September 11, 2010 at Lenape Vo-Tech School for their Second annual HEALTHY Lifestyle Extravaganza, a kickoff to another healthy school year! This event is held from 10:30AM - 12:30PM . The community is invited to this free event full of fun, fitness, healthy foods, and prizes. Events will include cooking demonstrations, information on healthy after school snacking, fitness stations- to learn new and fun ways to stay active, prizes, fun, and much more! Registration will be the day of the event, in the gymnasium lobby. Come out, have fun, learn about HEALTHY Armstrong, and spend the day with your family!
Grand Prize I-Pod Touch!!
HEATLHY Lifestyles Extravaganza
Saturday, September 11, 2010
10:30 AM- 12:30PM
Lenape Vo-Tech
Cost: FREE
Hike and Bike
HEALTHY Armstrong hosted their second annual Hike and Bike on August 14, 2010. Over 150 supporters joined us bright and early on Saturday morning for fun, fitness, and fruit….. all for free. Participants chose their own paths on the Armstrong trail and shared a fun filled morning with family and friends riding or walking along the trail. The morning was sunny and the trail was full of beautiful scenery!
Pictures: Coming Soon!
HEALTHY Armstrong hosts summer event!
HOP! SKIP! Or JUMP! Your way to the Armstrong Trail on Saturday August 14th, 2010! Join HEALTHY Armstrong for its second annual HIKE and BIKE event!
Come and enjoy the sites and sound of Armstrong county while hiking or biking your way to healthier you! The Event runs from 8:30-10:30 am, and has 3 different start locations! Pick the location closest to you, or visit a new part of the trail.
Start Locations include:
- The Clock Tower in Ford City, where you can try out the new Fit-Trail!
- The Boat Launch in Templeton, this northern part of the trail is home to much wild life and beautiful scenery!
- The Court House in Kittanning, where you can visit the War Memorial!
The Hike and Bike will not only be a great way to get your heart pumping but you can also enjoy healthy snacks and bottled water for free! Free T-shirts are also available for those participants who pre-register!
E-mail Registration Forms to owenk@acmh.org
Mail to: HEALTHY Armstrong 401 Ford Street Ford City, PA 16226
Or call us @ 724-543-8580
We are looking forward to seeing you, and don’t forget to bring the family along!
Pulse Monitor Pep Rally
On June 11, 2010, West Hills Intermediate School kicked off their awards assembly with a pulse monitor pep rally! They students celebrated the opportunity for the West Hills Intermediate Students in grade 5 and 6 to use the pulse monitors while in physical education class this year. The pep rally gave the students an opportunity to show the students not involved in the project, as well as teachers and guests how the monitors worked. Brad Bowers, physical education teacher and HEALTHY Armstrong steering committee member thanked the children who participated for working very hard on this project and for their patients with the pilot project. Dr. William Kerr was also in attendance and thanked students, facility and staff of West Hills Intermediate School for being a leader in the school districts wellness policy and HEALTHY Armstrong Initiatives.
HEALTHY ARMSTRONG HIGHLIGHTED AT WE CAN! REGIONAL TRAINING EVENT
UPMC Health Plan hosted a two day training session designed to teach community leaders about We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) on April 27-28, 2010 at the Marriott City Center Hotel in Pittsburgh.
We Can! is a national movement of families and communities that promotes healthy weight in children ages 8-13 through improved food choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time(TV, computers, and video games).
We Can! was developed by the National Institutes of Health(NIH), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Currently there are more than 1,000 community sites across the country. Armstrong County was the first county in the entire United States to earn the designation of a WE Can! county.
Participants in the training session learned how to plan and start a We Can! community program and how to implement the program’s science-based curricula for parents and youth. Participants also heard from local organizations that shared their We Can! success stories. HEALTHY Armstrong was one of the local organizations that was highlighted. Kay Owen, Project Director, gave a presentation about HEALTHY Armstrong, how it got started, the strategies employed, and the outcomes. According to training organizers, people in the audience were highly impressed with the comprehensive community program that is provided by HEALTHY Armstrong.
HEALTHY Armstrong is a community collaborative that focused on youth obesity prevention. HEALTHY STANDS for Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyles, Together Helping Youth and it is a joint effort of ACMH Hospital and Foundation, Armstrong School District, Children’s community Pediatrics(Armstrong), Armstrong county government, and UPMC Health Plan.
HEALTHY KIDS DAY
On April 17th HEALTHY Armstrong participated in the Armstrong YMCA’s HEALTHY KIDS DAY! The event featured a ½ mile race to start, an obstacle course, and a healthy snack activity. The entire day was a ton of fun for all who attended!
HEALTHY Armstrong visits We Can! Training.
On April 27th and 28th, HEALTHY Armstrong staff and wellness facilitators participated in We Can! Training at the Marriott City Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Staff and wellness facilitators learned new ideas to promote wellness in our community and schools. HEALTHY Armstrong also had the opportunity to share its ideas and successes with other organization who are working towards a common goal or preventing childhood obesity.
DRUGS KILL DREAMS-10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
April 2010 is the ten year anniversary of the drug, alcohol, and tobacco prevention initiative called "Drugs Kill Dreams." This prevention campaign was the brain child of District Magisterial Judge Gary DeComo. The goal of the campaign is to make all facets of the community aware of the deadly impact drugs can have on our youth, families and the community at large.
Planned events for the April 2010 campaign include the following:
- Distribution of the "Drugs Kill Dreams Prevention Resource Guide for Families." To obtain a copy, call 724 763 7866.
- Drug prevention messages on the electronic billboards in Kittanning and Ford city.
- Drug Prevention Awareness ads in the Leader Times and Horse Trader
- Distribution of the Prescription Pain Reliever Alert through Klingensmith’s Drug Stores
- Free Service by Klingensmith’s Drug Stores to dispose of all unused or expired medications during the month of April
- Poster Contest winners by the Manor Township Lions Club announced
- Video presentation to 5th through 8th grades.
Judge DeComo is a proven leader for drug prevention. We thank him for his efforts!!!
Lenape Vo-Tech Culinary Arts Program expands its lessons to healthy kids!
On April 6th the Lenape Vo-Tech Culinary department put on a healthy cooking demo and dinner for area youth and their families. The Lenape Vo-Tech Students and instructor, Mrs. Andrea Fahlor not only brainstormed and prepared the meal, but put on a cooking demonstration were youth from the county got to help in the preparation of the meal. The demonstration also included nutrition facts and all the recipes were shared with the audience. The menu included an excellent spinach salad, raspberry chicken, grilled potatoes, angel food cake, and the crowd favorite fruit salsa. Over 50 students and families enjoyed this free event.
Annie’s Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips (from allrecipes.com)
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 T white sugar
1 T brown sugar
3 T fruit preserves
10 flour tortillas
Butter flavored cooking spray
2 c cinnamon sugar mix
- In large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, sugar, brown sugar, and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
- Peheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer in a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
- Bake in the preheated oven 8-10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.
"Walk and Wow" on the Armstrong Trail
by Ron Steffey
"Walk and Wow" is a series of short hikes planned to stimulate family friendly activities while showcasing the natural spring time beauty of the Allegheny River Valley. Volunteers will lead scheduled walks on an enjoyable activity while identifying a variety of wildflowers.
The "Walks" are free to the public and will begin at the trail’s parking area next to Lock and Dam #8 on the east shore of the Allegheny River 6 miles north of Kittanning. Directions and a schedule for walks are available below. There is no preregistration, simply arrive at the day and time you choose. The 2 to 3 mile hikes will pass the homes of waterfowl, beavers, muskrats, a variety of woodpeckers, turkeys, deer others. The area is also a stopping area for occasional visit from bald eagles, hawks, and great blue herons.
Every spring the areas hillsides become vibrant with trillium, Dutchman’s breeches, trout lilies, spring beauties and other dazzling wildflowers. The walks are timed to visualize the “Wow” of the millions of wildflowers that can be enjoyed in late April.
Additionally the Army Corps of Engineers will provide short tours of Lock #8 from 11am to 2 pm on Saturday April 24, 2010.
The Armstrong Trail can also be enjoyed dusk to dawn every day of the year. More information can be found on the website at www.armstrongtrail.org or calling 724-543-4478.
Choose to be an active participant of the "Walk and Wow" events on the Armstrong Trail. Enjoy the "Wows" the Armstrong Trail and the Allegheny River Valley has to offer.
The following is a schedule for "Walk and Wow"
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 18 | April 19 | April 20 | April 21 | April 22 | April 23 | April 24 | April 25 |
| 4:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 6:00 pm | Noon 2:00 pm |
4:00 pm |
Directions to the Armstrong Trail Parking Area by Lock and Dam # 8.
Starting at the Kittanning Citizens Bridge on the Allegheny River at Market Street in Kittanning, head east on Market Street past the Armstrong County Courthouse. Make a left on Oak Avenue (one tenth of a mile past the Courthouse). Travel on Oak Avenue for 0.3 mile where Oak Avenue becomes Johnston Avenue. Continue on Johnston Avenue for 4.9 miles and turn left on PA 1033 (sign points towards Lock & Dam #8) This is immediately after passing under the railroad trestle spanning the Allegheny River and passing over Pine Creek. Travel 1.8 miles to the parking area at Lock and Dam 8.
Armstrong County proclaims April as Healthy County Month
Check out this Calendar for healthy happenings around the county in April!
West Hills Intermediate begins Pulse Monitor Pilot Project
by Trisha Brice | April 2009
West Hills Intermediate began a pilot project in February where the Fifth and Sixth grade students wear pulse monitors during the regular physical educations classes. The project began...
Johnstown Chiefs Hockey for ASD Students
March 2010
The Johnstown Chiefs Hockey Team donated general admission tickets to any one of their home games. The Wellness Teams in each of the Armstrong School District buildings gave these tickets away as a reward to answering a wellness question correctly. The students from all across the district were asked how many calories they think you would burn playing one hour of ice hockey. The students had all day to enter answers into a prize box and at the end of the day 1 or 2 students were drawn to claim their prize.
We hope the winners enjoy a Johnstown Chief Game! Thank you Johnstown Chiefs for your generous donation!!!
HEALTHY Armstrong’s AmeriCorps member inspires local youth.
LEADER TIMES | January 15, 2010 | by Mitch Fry
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said life's most persistent and urging question is: "What are you doing for others?" Trisha Brice thinks she has the answer...
HEALTHY Armstrong Strategic Planning Session
January 2010
HEALTHY Armstrong held a Strategic Planning Session on January 11, 2010. Representatives were present from many organizations throughout the community. Mr. John Lewis and Ms. Dianne Emminger of the Armstrong Center for Medicine and Health lead a group of about 40 individuals from all walks of life in order to aid HEALTHY Armstrong in moving forward. The group discussed ways to expand physical activity and nutrition at the primary and secondary levels of education in the Armstrong School District. HEALTHY Armstrong was lucky to have an array of individuals with different backgrounds to bring many ideas to the table. The strategic planning group will meet several more times to continue to help HEALTHY Armstrong move forward in its efforts to improve the health of our children and families.
Group Lifestyle Balance
LEADER TIMES | December 30, 2009 | by Mitch Fry
You'd expect a health expert to make a New Year's resolution to live healthier in 2010. Kay Owen, project director for HEALTHY Armstrong, is making a resolution to participate in a new program in Armstrong County through ACMH Hospital, "Group Lifestyle Balance,"...
Community members can walk in buildings!
November 2009
The Armstrong School district continues its program offering members of the community to walk in the corridors of all school district buildings. Residents are permitted to walk in the buildings from 6-8pm beginning November 16, 2009- April 23, 2010. Walking in the schools will not be possible on holidays or when schools are cancelled due to inclement weather. If you are interested in participating, ask to register at the office of the school in your community. Children must be accompanied by a parent of guardian. Passes will be issued to permit access to the building at the stated times.
