Local news: From snacks to gardens, get on a Healthy Kingston committee

Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County (CCEUC) and several partners are leading an initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic in Kingston through environmental and policy change.

Four committees are charged with seeing out the work plan of the grant, and partners are looking for Kingston residents and interested parties to become volunteer members of the committees.

Here's how to get involved:

Healthy Afterschool Snacks
-Open House, February 24, 3:30pm, Cornell Cooperative
Extension Ulster County, Kingston
Members of this committee will work closely with the school district and afterschool programs to change the food available to youth during the afterschool hours. They will develop nutritional and cultural criteria for afterschool snacks, write a model healthy snack policy to be adopted by institutions in Kingston, and assist institutions to make changes in practices. The chair is Laurie Mozian, (845)338-2500 ext. 4061 or lmozian@kingstonhospital.org.

Safe Routes to Schools and Parks
-Open House, March 4, 6:00pm, J. Watson Bailey Middle
School Library, Merilina Avenue Extension, Kingston
This committee will form a GIS Community Mapping Team of adults and youth to map routes to schools and parks. The committee will use the maps and data to identify priority non-motorized transport infrastructural or
safety improvements. They will also work with schools to organize a “Walk to School Day” in October and to establish “Walking School Buses” for routes to at least four schools in the city proper. Chairs are Kristen Wilson, (845) 340-3990 or
kew67@cornell.edu and Steve Noble,
(845) 331-1682 ext. 7336 or
SNoble@kingston-ny.gov.

Community and School Gardens
-Contact the Chairs
This committee’s primary objective is to create community and school gardens throughout the city. Members will work with community members, parents, teachers, and youth to obtain access to resources for
the construction and practical use of gardens. The committee will also work to develop local produce markets in walkable distance from Kingston neighborhoods in the form of farmer’s markets or increased access to local produce at corner stores. The committee meets monthly. Chairs are Julie Noble (845)331-1682 ext. 7339 or
JulieLNoble@kingston-ny.gov and Arthur Zaczkiewicz
(845)877-5263 or
zaczkiewicz@yahoo.com

Complete Streets
-Contact the Chair.
The primary task of this committee is to educate the public concerning the characteristics of complete streets and advocate for complete streets policy adoption in the City of Kingston. Members will assess the possibilities and barriers for streets that are more fully designed to accommodate pedestrian, bicycle, and transit mobility
in the City of Kingston. The chair is David Gilmour, AICP, contacted at (845) 616-2278 or completestreetscce@yahoo.com.