Positive Momentum, LLC To Host “Embracing Community Health Day” in Highland County

In Part 1 of this story, we discussed standing desks for second graders at the Highland Elementary School, an initiative of Positive Momentum, LLC from net proceeds of their “Taking Charge of Your Health” Seminar Series.  Positive Momentum’s next event in the series will be their tenth one, held on Thursday, May 23^rd and full of activities.  Co-owners, Steve Fullerton and Somers Stephenson have the details on “Embracing Community Health Day” in Highland County.

Ms. Stephenson says, “Dr. Mark Cucuzzella from the University of West Virginia Medical School, he’s a professor there, is going to be sharing his entire day with us, so we’re pretty excited, because we wanted this to be a community event, and as it turns out, it’s going to be very much a community event.”

Mr. Fullerton says, “The day is broken down.  The first part will be a private lunch and learn between Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, our speaker, and the Highland Medical Center Staff and Board Members, and then in the early afternoon, Dr. Mark will be meeting with the Highland County Public Schools’ Cafeteria Team and talking a little bit about school lunch programs and the food that we serve on our schools.  At 3 o’clock, Dr. Mark will be doing a running clinic at the school.  That’s gonna be for the cross country and track and the athletes at the school, and then, after that at 4 o’clock, Dr. Mark is going to be hosting a Community Fun Run and Walk around the track around the school.  It’s gonna be a mile, and it will take about, you know, an hour or so, and it should be a fun event, and then at 5:15, we’re gonna open the doors at The Highland Center for the community talk and a healthy supper, so Warm Springs Inn and Tavern is catering our meal right before the event starts at 6 o’clock.”

Ms. Stephenson adds, “And we want to invite all those in the community to come and walk or run with us at 4 o’clock.  We would really like that support from the community.”

Dr. Mark will be sharing his experience in improving rural health throughout the day.

Mr. Fullerton continues, “We’re really excited to have Dr. Mark come.  He has a large background and a great passion for serving the rural health community.  He is not only a professor at West Virginia University but he also is part of a team at West Virginia University’s Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Health, where they’re, in essence, treating disease with food and lifestyle, so that’s been a very successful thing and worked great in the community.”

“He’s got a wide background, like I said, not only in community health but for the running community and the kids at the school.  He just finished his 25^th Boston Marathon, and he’s the Founder and Creator of the U.S. Air Force’s Efficient Running Program, so he’s a Lieutenant Colonel in Reserves for the Air Force.”

Ms. Stephenson concludes, “So we are very, very lucky to have him that day, and he is gonna be here without any charge to us.”

Of all the activities, there is only a cost for the evening dinner at The Highland Center, catered by the Warm Springs Inn and Tavern, and Dr. Mark’s presentation.  That cost will be $25 up to May 20^th, and from May 20^th forward, it will be $30.  For those under 18, that cost will be a flat $15 rate up to the event.  Tickets are available online at www.eventbrite.com by searching for Monterey, Virginia, at Positive Momentum LLC’s Facebook page and at the VPAS office on Spruce Street in Monterey.  Positive Momentum is also looking for event sponsors to make a contribution to the cause.  As in the past, any net proceeds plan to go to more standing desks at the Highland Elementary School.