Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Director, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

5/6/2008
Story by Julie Haas

JCCC hosts June HealthyKansas Summit

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Johnson County Community College along with Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ HealthyKansas program and the Kansas Recreation and Parks Associations (KRPA) will convene a regional summit in June to promote opportunities to encourage physical activity, healthy eating and avoiding tobacco in Kansas.

"This is a unique partnership between many organizations in the region that are committed to helping Kansans get more physical activity, eat healthy and avoid tobacco,” Sebelius said.  “We know that improving these three individual behaviors will have a positive lifetime impact on their health.”

Scheduled for June 6-7 at JCCC in room 003 of the Gymnasium, the summit is sponsored by the department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Wellness at Johnson County Community College in partnership with HealthyKansas and KRPA.

“We’re glad to help Gov. Sebelius spread the word about health and wellness,” said Terry A. Calaway, JCCC president. “Events like these can help improve the health of people in the community.”

Friday is planned as a single-day workshop for professionals working in the region serving the three HealthyKansas target markets: children in schools, adults in the workplace and seniors in their community. Saturday will be a community health fair that will offer the public resources about making healthy choices in their lives and include the opportunity to participate in the ‘What’s Your Mile?’ walking fitness test.

Summit information and registration is available online at www.healthykansas.org. Cost for the Friday workshop is $30 per person. Secretary Roderick L. Bremby, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, will be the keynote speaker. The Saturday community health fair is free.

HealthyKansas was started in 2004 by Governor Kathleen Sebelius to encourage children in schools, adults in the workplace and seniors to take more responsibility for improving their health by increasing their level of physical activity, eating a better diet and avoiding tobacco.

More information on HealthyKansas can be found at www.healthykansas.org or by contacting Rick Bryant, HealthyKansas, 785-213-8265, or Doug Vance, KRPA executive director, 785-265-6533.