Highlights: From the Heart of Our Community, is a 30 minute weekly TV show featuring organizations, events, grass-roots efforts and people who move our state and community forward in a positive way.
The show is a collaboration with Kanawha County Schools, Suddenlink Communications and Jim Strawn & Company.
The show airs daily at 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Suddenlink’s channel 17.
The show airing August 20, 2018 – August 27, 2018 ‘highlights’ the 12th Annual Southern Obesity Summit and the WV Overdose Awareness Day.
We interviewed Dr. Jamie Jeffrey, a CAMC Pediatrician and Director of KEYS 4 HealthyKids.
She is also a member of the WV host committee which is bringing the 12th Annual Southern Obesity Summit to Charleston WV.
The Southern Obesity Summit (SOS) is the largest regional obesity prevention event in the United States, drawing hundreds of participants from 16 Southern States consisting of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Together, these states join forces to fight obesity.
The event is hosted by the Texas Health Institute, WV Bureau for Public Health, and KEYS 4 HealthyKids.
The Signiture Sponsor is HighMark Foundation.
They are a Pittsburgh based private, (Highmark’s charitable arm) dedicated to public health and human service initiatives. As a thought leader in these fields, we strive to unite regional, national, and global organizations to raise awareness and bring about long-term systematic change.
– The Foundation funds innovative health care programs for diverse populations.
– In 2011, they expanded their service area to the state of West Virginia using the same thoughtful approach to grant making we have applied throughout history.
– Whether the community is based in an urban, suburban, or rural area, the Foundation supports programs that reach vulnerable or at-risk individuals such as the elderly, the poor, individuals with special needs, and minority populations. Programs have included demonstrations, pilot projects, model programs, expansion plans, and well-established initiatives.
The Highmark Foundation is excited about bringing together individuals from 16 states – educators, policy makers, health professionals and parents to discuss evidence-based outcomes – like what worked what didn’t, and what may work in WV.
The Platinum Sponsor is the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.
The 12th Annual Southern Obesity Summit will be held in Charleston, West Virginia October 22-24, 2018. With a focus on collective impact through the lens of Health Equity; we will explore system impacts:
Live, Work, Learn, Eat, Play and Pray. This Summit will bring together leadership from across the south to share, learn and develop strategies for positive change around obesity prevention.
- Participants from 16 southern states will convene to publicize effective and emerging obesity prevention practices in the region and energize grassroots efforts in each state.
- Attendees will include policymakers, leaders from community-based organizations, federal and state government officials, health care providers, non-profits, youth and members from national and state associations.
- SOS is a great opportunity for regional partnering, and provides each state access to technical assistance through learning collaboratives.
- The three-day conference offers networking opportunities, fast paced breakout sessions, workgroup meetings, and plenary sessions that will focus on cross-state collaboration, best practices and significant leadership in obesity prevention.
- For the past five years, the strategies have spotlighted the most impact on obesity prevention under the pillars of:
Early Childcare | Food Access | Nutrition | Schools | Healthcare | Physical Activity | Worksite Wellness
This year the summit is focusing on the infrastructure and processes necessary to implement policy and practice in an effective manner with a result of positive system change, and an outcome of health equity.
The 12th Annual Southern Obesity Summit has an overarching goal:
- Help stakeholders strategize next steps to implement policy and program initiatives across all 16 states to support obesity prevention, decreasing health disparities and improving health equity.
They continue to support the following objectives to achieving these goals:
- Promote cross-sector collaboration and partnerships to prevent obesity
- Provide opportunities for practitioners to share successful policy and community-based intervention strategies
- Further define a Southern Strategy to encourage effective inter-state initiatives and collaboration
Continuing Education Credits will be provided!
Application in process for Physician, Nursing, Dietician, and CHES continuing education credits!
Dr. Jeffrey encouraged EVERYONE to register, exhibit or be a sponsor. Early Bird Registration is going on now. Click here to register.
We also talked to CeCe Brown, coordinator of the WV Overdose Awareness Day Tribute which is scheduled for Saturday, August 25th from 10-12:00 at the WV State Capitol Complex on the river side.
CeCe explained that on this day, they will remember their loved ones, honor family and friends and share hope.
Narcan training will also be available.
This year they are participating in the Year of Service with”Tears to Towels” instead of shoes on Capitol steps. Area recovery programs need towels!
TEARS TO TOWELS-Towels with messages of hope.
1. Bring a towel or washcloth to be donated to a person in a recovery program.
2. Add your loved one’s name to a special message of hope that will be placed inside the towel to let them know we support them.
What better way to remember our loved ones than to help another!
Click here for more information.
If you would like to learn more about the Highlights TV Show, contact Host and Executive Producer Jim Strawn at 304-541-4756.
