Manchester Wellness Coalition hosts successful health and wellness forum

Manchester Wellness Center Community Health Forum and Non-Profit Roundtable was held January 13th at Two Black Sheep

submitted by Ray Berg, Manchester Wellness Coalition

The Manchester Wellness Coalition (MWC), the Manchester Non-Profit Roundtable, and the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation jointly hosted a successful community health and wellness forum on Monday, January 13, at the Two Black Sheep Restaurant. Our goal was to educate interested community members on the ongoing Manchester Wellness Coalition and its relationship with the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation, our goals and activities, and our current planning for the Year 9 Manchester Health and Wellness Plan. We also are seeking new and interested members and their ideas for needed health and wellness initiatives in Manchester.

We were pleased to have 33 guests join us for a buffet dinner, followed by an overview of the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation and the Manchester Wellness Coalition, and their goals, objectives and structure in improving the Manchester area’s health and wellness. We also reviewed the three ongoing ways in which 5 Healthy Towns Foundation has been involved in the Manchester area (Wellness Coalition and interventions, Manchester Wellness Center, and the “One Big Thing” mental health program now under way). We discussed where our Manchester Year 9 plan is heading, including an overview of recently collected community health data and key findings.

Attendees were provided a handout with a summary of the evening’s talking points and examples of prior MWC projects.

This overview was followed by questions, comments, and suggestions from the attendees, as well as an invitation to attendees to bring forward new ideas and attend our monthly meetings (4th Tuesday, 12:00 noon, Manchester Village offices). To suggest additional health and wellness ideas, or to be put on the mailing list for periodic updates, please email to rayberg@att.net.

Please consider coming to our January 28 meeting if you want to be involved in improving Manchester’s healthy ways!

Ray Berg holds up a copy of the meeting handout

Ruth VanBogelen speaking

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.