Manchester Wellness Coalition plans for its 9th year

The multi-use trail runs through the Village

submitted by Ray Berg, Manchester Wellness Coalition

The Manchester Wellness Coalition continues to partner with the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation in developing a variety of programs, classes and infrastructure, wherein funding from 5HF and other sources is used to help Manchester area residents achieve four goals: move more, eat better, connect with others in healthy ways, and avoid unhealthy substances.

We are now in our 10^th year of operation, and our 9^th year of developing comprehensive wellness plans for the benefit of all our community. Many individual volunteers and service organizations assist with this planning, and meet monthly to both initiate new projects and track progress on ongoing programs.

We are now asking for your recommendations on infrastructure ideas, healthy programs and activities which will assist with our efforts to complete our Year 9 Plan by May 1. If you have an idea or developed proposal which meets one or more of the four goals outlined above, we’d like to hear from you. You can e-mail ideas to Ray Berg at raymondmberg@gmail.com, or phone 248-765-9324. And you are also welcome to come to our next meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 12:00 noon at the Manchester Village offices.

In addition, we are pleased to announce the upcoming Health Improvement Plan (HIP) survey, which is conducted every five years. This major HIP survey collects key information on the health and wellness of local residents, and the data obtained is specific to Manchester-area residents. A large enough, confidential sample is gathered to ensure accurate information on health and wellness trends, and guide the Coalition’s planning efforts for several years. The last survey was completed in 2015 by telephone, but the 2020 survey will be conducted through an online platform. More details on the HIP survey will be forthcoming from the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation.

We will appreciate your input as we move forward here in Spring 2020!

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by Sara Swanson

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