Participants in the Healthy City Fall River Design Team process met for the fourth quarterly meeting of 2009 in the new Kuss Middle School community room on December 4, 2009. The meeting focused on continued planning for the 2010-2014 period. Since the previous meeting on September 17, 2009, applications were completed to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants, with Community Action Plans for fitness and nutrition and for tobacco. These applications paved the way for a new five-year plan with specified goals and objectives. The group reviewed these plans with an eye toward meeting the goals and objectives with or without CDC funding. The next quarterly meeting was scheduled for March 5, 2010, at which time the status of their application will be known. Click here for the Herald News report about the meeting. For more information, contact coordinator David Weed at 508-324-2411.  (Photos courtesy of Sarah Parmenter)
 

(Top row. left) Fall River Youth Coordinator Christian McCloskey chats with Tobacco Control coordinator Marilyn Edge before the meeting begins. (Top row, center) Dr. David Weed guides the group through consideration of each of five goals outlined for the 2010-2014 period. (Top row, right)  Children In Balance project manager Marcia Picard shares a lighter moment with CD-REC program manager Jamison Souza. (Middle row) Mr. Souza makes a point as Healthy Lives coordinator Mike Ramos, University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program director Pat Bebo, Health First Family Care Center director Julie Almond, Mass In Motion coordinator Julie Kelly, Southcoast Hospitals' tobacco cessation coordinator Niki Almeida, Fall River City Councilor Cathy Ann Viveiros, BOLD Coalition director Karen Fischer, Partners for a Healthier Community steering committee chairperson Billie Jane Valente, and City Councilor Steve Camara listen. (Bottom row, left) Health First director of community relations and development Paula Harrison makes a point as visitor Diane Munsell, and Southcoast Hospitals director of public relations Kerry Mello listen. (Bottom row, center and right) WIC staff member Nancy Matheny helps lead Cathy, Karen, Southcoast cardiovascular prevention coordinator Donna Querim, Billie Jane and the rest of the group in a stretch break as recommended by the new Guide to Healthy Meetings and Events authored by Pat Bebo..