›› Eastern Kentucky Advocates for Wellness

The Eastern Kentucky Advocates for Wellness is a dedicated and diverse group of individuals and agencies from across the eastern Kentucky region with a common interest in the health and wellbeing of our citizens both present and future.

The EKAW region is comprized of eleven counties including Greenup, Carter, Lawrence, Elliott, Boyd, Rowan, Morgan, Fleming, Lewis, Johnson and Martin. Members include health care, education, private business, local city and county government, extension services, area development district staff, YMCA's, various other fitness related groups and interested individuals who care about our region.

Meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month (although this does change) on an every other month basis and meetings last anywhere from one to two hours. Training opportunities, mini-grant programs, networking local resources, to major community events are sponsored by EK Advocates for Wellness with venues areas including schools, worksites, health care, the built environment and breastfeeding.

Want to make a difference in your community for years to come? Get involved in the Eastern Kentucky Advocates for Wellness and make it happen! Contact Sara Boyd at sara.dunlap1@ky.gov for more information or call 606-329-9444.

›› Upcoming Events

The Eastern Kentucky Advocates for Wellness Coalition will hold its next meeting on Thursday September 27th beginning at 1 PM at the Ashland Boyd County Health Department at 2924 Holt Street in Ashland. Call 329-9444 for directions. You may also contact Coalition Chair Sara Boyd via e-mail at sara.dunlap1@ky.gov.

›› Built Environment

Eastern Kentucky Advocates for Wellness has been busy in the built environment venue over the past few months. In partnership with the Ashland Boyd County Health Department and Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, EKAW presented the "Eastern Kentucky Rail Trail Summit" on Thursday June 14th at Carter Caves State Resort Park.

Bicycling as a tourism activity and destination sport is a fast growing portion of the tourism industry, and Rails to Trails (the use of abandoned railroad corridors for recreation and transportation use) is often pointed to as the single most important element in this enormous growth. The Eastern Kentucky Rail Trail Summit allowed us to learn from experts at the state and local level about the economic benefit to our region through trail development; the trail planning process; how to obtain funding; rail banking and it's importance; local agencies that will work with us on funding opportunities; and a chance to hear from local policy makers about potential new state proposals in support of the rail trail system.

The full day of speakers included Tiffani Jackson and Jodi McDonald from the Department of Transportation and the Governor's Office on Local Development; Keith Lovan, Kentucky Rail Trails Council; Larry Ridenour, retired architect and rail trail developer; Charlie Holbrook, Ashland Cycling Enthusiasts and the Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeways Commission and local Ashland Attorney.

This important summit attracted city and county governmental officials, community planners, area development districts, health department staff, recreation planners and developers, as well as a number of private citizens with a keen interest in rail trail development.

If you have an interest in the built environment and specifically in rail trail development as a fiscal and physical health issue, plan to join us at the next EK Advocates for Wellness Coalition meeting. We need YOU!

›› Breastfeeding

An active participant in the EK Advocates for Wellness Coalition is the River Cities Breastfeeding Coalition. This important coalition is designed to help support and promote breastfeeding as the normal form of nutrition for infants. Members of the coalition include WIC staff, lactation consultants, nurses, doctors, extension agents, educators, health department and hospital staff. Counties included in the River Cities Breastfeeding Coalition area include Estill, Powell, Menifee, Bath, Fleming, Lewis, Rowan, Morgan, Magoffin, Floyd, Pike, Martin, Johnson, Lawrence, Elliott, Carter, Greenup and Boyd.

The next River Cities Breastfeeding Coalition meeting will be in November of 2007. For more information about the coalition contact Catherine Anderson at 606-329-9444, or you may e-mail her at CatherineT.Anderson@ky.gov.

Another important resoure in the EK Advocates for Wellness region is the local Breastfeeding Moms Support Group. This group of families meet the last Tuesday of each month at 2:00 PM at the Ashland Boyd County Health Department's Administrative Office Building. And moms, feel free to bring your children along as child care is always provided!

For more information on this valuable opportunity to support breasfeeding families contact Kim Moore at 606-465-4564 or 606-329-9444 and ask for Cathy Anderson.