Community Member

Why, Take the Challenge?

Whether you are an individual or a community business, there is something you can do to make a difference for kids. Healthy Kids Challenge recognizes the overwhelming health concerns that face our children and their future. We also see the ripples of hope and the rainbow collection of solutions possible when we join together.
As an individual, you are rewarded by knowing even a small voice can mean a significant difference in the health of our kids.

As a business, “Taking The Challenge” brings the potential for many rewards such as:

• Enhanced image and credibility as a leader “in the news”
• A competitive edge
• Financial returns and tax savings
• Networking and a “voice” with others
• A way to show products/services and learn how they are received
• Decreased employee health care costs that comes with a focus on wellness
  

Take the Challenge Tips – Getting Started

Ideas when you are on your own

Role model healthy choices: Leading by example is a terrific start.

• Walk. Ask a friend to join you and you have two people. Start or join a walking club and the numbers grow!
• Take healthy choices whenever there is a “get together” that includes food at work, place of faith, business and social meetings, and when you are with friends and family.
• Initiate an article for a newsletter or PSA. Contact a county extension agent, community dietitian, or other health professional for credible sources of information.

Ideas for working with others

Collaborate with others to make a healthy difference:

• Join an existing wellness coalition or school health council.
• If nothing exists in your community, consider building a Healthy Kids Challenge KidLink team. (A KidLink is anyone who can connect with kids and make a healthy difference!)
  A KidLink team serves as the leadership to create actions that:
  • Link people with kids
  • Role-model—lead by example
  • Provide a consistent healthy message
  • Make learning fun and healthy choices desirable
  • Build more opportunities for healthy choices

  Click here for information about how to get started with the Team Process of healthy change.

• Take an existing community event and add a component of healthy eating and/or physical activity. For example:

  • Event Planning Checklist   • Choose an event that already     exists and add to it.   • Get media attention.   • Give participants a fun,      healthy activity. An event + a healthy choice activity + media attention = fun, healthy results

    For a high school event:
    • Add healthy snack ideas and/or recipes printed in the program.
    • Develop a raffle with active fun prizes, proceeds going to the KidLink health initiative.
    • Make healthy snacks available at the concession stand.
  • For a community event:
    • Set up booths with healthy habit displays that get people involved by participating in an activity. A simple idea to get people involved is to have them draw a healthy eating and physical activity question from a “fish bowl” and see if they can answer it.
    • For prizes, offer coupons and discounts for local grocer, area recreation department programs, and other things that promote healthy choices. Ideas include a coupon for a low fat cone, fruits, veggies, Hula-Hoop, or a ball. Donating companies gain recognition and customers!
  • For a town parade:
    • Set up parade floats with a healthy eating and activity message. Spread the message by planning a newspaper article that contains an interview with the creators about their goals!
    • Arrange for floats to be available after the parade with a healthy activity in which everyone can participate!
    • Give participants the option of contributing to a COMMUNITY HEALTHY GOAL list—one simple thing they can do (or help to do) to create more opportunities for healthy choices…then publish the healthy goals list (without names of course)!

Both large and small communities have “events” or festivals around which a large part of the community rallies. Whether it is a high school athletic event, a music festival in the park, or a town parade, you can create awareness and gain support for healthy choices.