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Brunswick Fields We Can!™ Success with Events and City Partners

Girl running while flying kite

Posted February 3‚ 2010

Since joining We Can! in the fall of 2009‚ the City of Brunswick‚ Georgia‚ has been working hard to encourage healthy living in the community. In fact‚ the City’s
We Can!
program is even enlisting the help of local law enforcement to spread We Can! messages.

Brunswick police officers are traveling door–to–door in various areas throughout the community to invite residents to We Can!–themed events—the most popular of which are We Can! field days.

This We Can! City has hosted three field day events‚ and is in the process of planning for a fourth. So far‚ the field days have attracted approximately 100 community members to each event‚ both young and old. Tug–of–war‚ volleyball‚ basketball‚ flag football‚ and team relays are just a few of the activities families participate in at the events.

“At the field days‚ we really try to encourage the parents to get active with the kids‚ instead of just standing on the sidelines‚” said Patti Hale‚ Chair of the Advisory Board for We Can! community site Children in Action Sports Club. “Drawings and prizes for fitness gear also help to keep participants engaged in the various activities.”

In addition to using uniformed officers to draw attention to the City’s We Can! movement‚ Hale is also enlisting the help of local newspapers‚ radio stations‚ businesses‚ and organizations to promote the benefits of becoming more physically active‚ reducing screen time‚ and eating right. Health promotion coalitions‚ fitness centers‚ and local volunteer chapters all partner with Brunswick’s We Can! program‚ and help to distribute information.

In fact‚ there is high demand from local businesses for We Can! information. Hale sends approximately 30 We Can! fact sheets‚ tip sheets‚ and flyers to local employers each week. These businesses and organizations use the information to share with employees and with others. One organization in particular‚ The LINKS—one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations—even runs Media–Smart Youth® classes at a local Boys and Girls Club.

“Our We Can! events have definitely raised awareness on the problems of childhood obesity in this community‚” said Hale. “Additionally‚ we give other groups ideas of what they can do to improve the health in their own communities.”

For more information on CIA Sportsclub and their involvement with We Can! and the City of Brunswick (which recently hosted a very successful We Can! training in Janurary along with Cristina Gibson from the Coastal Health District), please visit http://www.ciasportsclub.net.

Last Updated: February 13, 2013