Blog: City Blog

Enthusiastic Gathering of Child-Health Advocates at Childhood Obesity Coalition Luncheon

Mayor Madeline Rogero (near center) with the steering committee of the ETCH Childhood Obesity Coalition

Big turnout at today's Childhood Obesity Coalition Luncheon at the Foundry - lots of highly-motivated children's advocates!

It was a great opportunity to take stock of all we've accomplished and to recommit ourselves to further provide opportunities for our children to be able to choose healthier lifestyles.

One theme of the luncheon was the effectiveness of collaborative efforts and Knoxville's strong private-public partnerships. Children's health is very much a team effort.

Together, we've successfully launched some major initiatives to help promote children's health - top-ranked "Let's Move!" programs, the creation and expansion of the Urban Wilderness, the development of the Sansom Sports Complex, Emerald Youth Foundation's reopening of the E.V. Davidson Community Center pool, the expansion of the Caswell Avenue campus of the Boys and Girls Clubs, a new education center at Beardsley Farm - the list goes on and on.

Plus, the luncheon attendees got to hear an inspirational speaker, Vallie Collins of Maryville, who serves on the board of 147 Million Orphans and the Maryville City Schools Foundation. Vallie shared her personal stories from 2009 of being aboard the crashed US Airways 1549, the no-fatalities "Miracle on the Hudson" flight, and how the passengers helped one another.

Keep up the outstanding work, coalition members! Great to gather together so many enthusiastic child-health advocates to share ideas and partner on community projects.

Vallie Collins, "Miracle on the Hudson" survivor, and Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero

Vallie Collins, left, and Mayor Madeline Rogero

Posted by evreeland On 05 June, 2015 at 4:34 PM

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