Read on for the article from WXOW:
On Friday morning, the 2016 Healthy Living Heroes awards were presented at Myrick Park.
Heroes are chosen based on their efforts to improve nutrition, exercise, and tobacco-free living. The collaborative awards those who not only live healthy as an individual but also in the community.
“I think health is at the root of how we succeed in life, what kinds of opportunities we’re given,” said Karie Johnson, FoodWIse Education Coordinator. “So, it’s something very basic, and very foundational for a lot of success in the future.”
The Family and Children’s Center won the 2016 Healthy Living Hero Award as an organization. Vanessa Southworth, Director of Wisconsin Youth and Family Services, believes living healthy will create a positive domino effect.
“We all need to take care of our own health, but we need to help support that in each other because sometimes we all need a little bit of help,” said Southworth. “And so we want to make sure that we promote an environment that helps employees to take care of themselves so that we can support one another, and then we can help the clients that we serve.”
Awards were given in youth, individual, and organization categories. The La Crosse County Health Department received 11 nomination applications this year.
Here are the winners:
Youth Award Winner: Youth-iFeed 7 Area Interact Clubs (Aquinas, Caledonia, Central, Holmen, Logan, Onalaska, and West Salem high schools)
Individual Award Winner: Jackie Czieska
Organization Award Winner: Family & Children’s Center
Organization Award Winner (Honorable Mention): The Parenting Place