You're Invited to Join Weight of the Fox Valley

Thursday, May 22, 2014

 

Contributor: Susan Perri, Marketing and Communications Assistant at United Way Fox Cities

I think I probably know three people who are completely happy at their current weight and about their current health habits (me not included). The majority of us are in flux - right? We know that eating healthy and exercising will help us lose weight and, even more importantly, help us to be healthier. But, if you're like me, you struggle to motivate yourself to start those healthy habits. And maintaining healthy habits? That's a whole other story.

Well, there's good news for those of us who need a bit of accountability and encouragement to jump on the healthy-lifestyle bandwagon (and to not jump-off at the first sight of cake). A new three-county initiative, The Weight of the Fox Valley (WOTFV), has launched!

The formation of WOTFV had a lot to do with one staggering statistic: 62% of residents in the Fox Cities self-reported in the 2011 Life Study that they are overweight or obese. Being overweight affects individuals and our entire community in so many ways - physically, socially, psychologically and economically - to name a few. This data led to obesity becoming an emerging priority for the Fox Valley HealthCare Coalition, Oshkosh and Fox Cities United Ways and ThedaCare's Community Health Action Team, and ultimately, to the creation of The Weight of the Fox Valley.

Collaborative partnerships are what make The Weight of the Fox Valley work; you too can join WOTFV and help to improve the health of our community!

On June 5th, the WOTFV is holding a Kick-Off Event at the Bridgewood Resort Hotel and Conference Center in Neenah. There are three ways to register: all day, morning only or afternoon only. The morning session is open to everyone who is interested in learning more about WOTFV. From 8:00 to 11:00 a.m., you can learn about progress over the last year, celebrate existing local initiatives and share your ideas on The Weight of the Fox Valley goals, direction and structure through participation in a World Café. The afternoon session, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. will include a launch of the first two action teams: Active Communities for those interested in promoting initiatives that create or enhance recreational opportunities and Worksite for those interested in improving employee and family health through worksite wellness programs.

If your curiosity is peeked and you would like to learn more - the kick-off event is a great way to get more information. We hope to see you there!

Register for the WOTFV Kick-Off Event
Download the WOTFV Kick-Off Event Invite for more details

Find more information about WOTFV on their Facebook page