As Health Commissioner for Dayton & Montgomery County, I want to thank you for your interest in GetUp Montgomery County and more importantly, for your personal commitment to live the 5-2-1-Almost None lifestyle. By being role models for children and families in our community, we can help stem the tide of the increasing number of children — and adults — who are at high risk for poor health and preventable chronic diseases brought on by being inactive and making poor nutrition choices.

You may wonder why Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County is behind this initiative. In fact, only five percent of Public Health departments across the nation are in the chronic disease prevention mode. Ultimately, that is what GetUp is – we want to prevent the chronic diseases that arise when our children and adults are overweight and obese. Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County is one of those elite five percent of health departments addressing chronic disease prevention because, frankly, everything I know through my personal and career experiences points to a growing need to do this. It is one of the few opportunities we have, as individuals, to improve our health.

My parents and grandparents died much too young due to heart disease and other negative lifestyle choices, like smoking. That prompted me to be screened and to do everything I can to avoid the cards that genetics dealt me. But did you know that genetics only accounts for 20 percent of the factors that lead to good or bad health? So really, we can’t put all the blame on our genes. The fact is 40-50 percent of our health status is lifestyle driven. That means we can control almost half of the factors behind our health, if we take personal responsibility and make smart nutrition and physical activity choices.

I encourage you to think about what you can do every day to help your loved ones, friends, co-workers, our community’s children and yourself live a long and healthy life. It starts with those four simple steps that you now know: 5-2-1-Almost None.

Fabulous Fitness Fact
One hour of jogging burns 500 calories.

Vivacious Veggies
Potatoes and lettuce are the two most popular vegetables in the U.S. We eat about 145 lbs of potatoes per person per year and 30 lbs of lettuce per year.

Tantalizing TV/Media Tidbits
New research found kids age 8-18 now spend 7 hrs 38 minutes every day (more than 53 hrs a week!) plugged in to TV, video games, texting and other media. This is an increase of 1 hr 17 minutes more every day in the past five years alone!

Sugary Soda Sobs
In general, the average adult bladder can hold about 16 ounces or 2 cups of liquid at maximum.

• S – Seasonal Fruits, Veggies and Fish
• M – Meatless Meals
• A – Ads and Coupons
• R – Reuse and Recycle
• T – Trim the Take Out Meals
• B – Beans and Legumes
• U – Underscore Calcium and Milk Foods
• D – Divide Your Own Snacks
• G – Grains and Breads
• E – Eat Fruits and Veggies
• T – Try Something New

If you haven't made the pledge to improve your health with 5-2-1-Almost None, sign up on our web site and then print your pledge certificate. It's a great reminder to hang on the refrigerator! And remember, the GetUp site is chock-full of information so click around while you are there.

Nearly 200 individuals have taken the pledge so far! Encourage everyone you know to take the pledge and join us. Remember, it takes a community to change the health of our children. Special thanks to the following boards, commissions or councils for answering the call to make the pledge as community leaders:

• Board of Health – Dayton & Montgomery County
• West Carrollton Board of Education
• City of Trotwood

State of Ohio Proposals
The governor of the State of Ohio has said that every resource possible should be used to address the overwhelming obesity epidemic that presents the most major, and most controllable, health threat facing us today.

Envisioned State for a Healthy Ohio
"Ohioans are achieving and maintaining optimal health through personal wellness management and a health care delivery system that focuses on the promotion of health and the prevention of disease. At each stage of life, every Ohioan has access to timely, patient-centered and efficient physical and behavioral health care choices. All Ohioans have access to primary and preventive services as well as education and opportunities for healthy lifestyles and the incidence of preventable diseases are at the lowest levels in the nation across all population groups. Services and care are coordinated through widespread use of health information technology, thereby improving health outcomes and delivering effective, efficient and culturally competent health care."

-Gov. Ted Strickland

National ‘Let’s Move’ Initiative
First Lady Michelle Obama recently launched a new national initiative called 'Let's Move!,' with the goal to stem the tide of childhood obesity within a generation. There is much work to be done but we should all be proud that GetUp Montgomery County and our nearly 100 community partners are already thinking, acting and helping our kids and families adopt a healthier lifestyle!

Stay informed
GetUp Montgomery County is committed to offering our full support to help Montgomery County residents successfully live healthier lifestyles, make educated nutrition choices and be aware of options available for no-cost and low-cost activities. Please visit our Wellness policies tab and School Policies tab on the GetUp & Be Heard page of our website for electronic versions of the Ohio Obesity Prevention Plan and related information. There are over 30 research and policy documents available on our site within these tabs alone. You'll find details on the launch of the national 'Let's Move!' program in our News section. Check back often to be sure you stay informed!

• Asian Arts Center Taekwondo
• Boy Scouts – Miami Valley Council
• Camp Fire USA, Greater Dayton Area Council
• Goodwill/Easter Seals of the Miami Valley
• Northridge Local Schools
• Miamisburg Parks & Recreation
• Miamisburg City Schools
• Parents Advancing Choice in Education (PACE)
• Vandalia-Butler City Schools
• West Carrollton Schools

• Beavercreek City Schools
• Centerville City Schools
• Kettering City Schools
• Mad River Local Schools
• Mini University
• Home school/Girl Scout leader
• Valley View Local Schools

NOTE: The following information is for current GetUp partner organizations only, not individual volunteers. See the “Become a GetUp Partner” story if your organization would like to join us.

Several GetUp partners have upcoming opportunities or interests to share with other partners. Please contact the partner directly for more information.

• Girls on the Run, a new local council of a national fitness and well-being movement for pre-teen girls, would like to swap best-practices in start-up fundraising. Contact Angela Lewis.
• CompuNet Clinical Laboratories will host a day of wellness activities in March on Fifth Third Plaza. Partners with interactive activities should contact Lorraine for more information. Limited availability.
• Boys Scouts of the Miami Valley will host health fairs at the end of each 8-week healthy living module they conduct with scouts and their families, starting the last week of March/early April. Contact Kelly Watts.
• Dayton Recreation & Youth Services will open two newly-renovated facilities on March 5 & 6. LaShea Smith is interested in hearing from partners with give-away items and possibly demonstrations.
• Kettering Health Network will host daily wellness fairs for employees in April and September. Partners with health-related information/programs for adults are invited to participate. Contact Lori Thomas.
• Miles that Matter is interested in exploring a summertime 5k run for families. Contact Karen Cosgrove.
• Dayton Contemporary Dance Company is thinking about a ‘dancing in the streets’ event. Contact Donald Hubbard.
• 5 Rivers MetroParks will host activities around the national Get Outside and Play day on June 21. Check in with Bob Butts to brainstorm partner involvement ideas.
• Our local Campfire USA council is interested in sharing their national health and wellness curriculum with schools. Contact Keith Harrison for details.
• The Salvation Army will open a fabulous new fitness and education center in May at the new KROC Center. Check in with Sarah Hall about potential opportunities to provide nutrition classes, fitness or other sessions for kids, families and adults. They will also have rooms available for events.
• You are invited to join the discussion on March 9th when we present GetUp to members and visitors at the Dayton Dietetic Association meeting at the University of Dayton. OSU Extension and the Black Man’s Think Tank will participate on the panel. Attendees will divide into discussion groups related to local barriers to healthy living. Contact Theresa Gilbert to register to attend.
• Be sure to sign up for our LinkedIn GetUp group so you can participate in our online discussions. Search for GetUp (one word) in Groups.

Partner Reminder
Don’t forget – we need those Partner2Partner handshakes returned ASAP via email to Lorraine. While these are dynamic and changeable, having an official record of your participation is very important to our funders. Your timely assistance is very much appreciated. The form is available on our website and on the partner CD. If you have not already done so, please also contact Lorraine with the name, phone and email address for the designated GetUp primary contact within your organization.

Partner Meeting
Look for an email soon about an opportunity for partners to come together! We hear this request often so we will ask one partner a month to host an optional get-together where partners can exchange ideas and information. Anticipate a ‘subject of the month.’ The first session will offer ideas from the Measurement Team on guidelines for best-in-class program measurement.

Thank you to the GetUp Leadership
Special thanks to the GetUp Hub and team leadership for their guidance in getting us to launch and on-going sustainability! Please give a pat on the back to the following for their dedication to GetUp:

• Jim Gross, M.P.H., Health Commissioner
• Jeff Cooper, MS, Assistant to the Health Commissioner
• Judy Dodge, Montgomery County Commissioner
• Gary LeRoy, M.D., WSU School of Medicine/Board of Health
• Cathy Ponitz, CareSource Foundation
• Jessica Saunders, The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton
• Bill Spears, Ph.D, WSU Center for Healthy Communities
• Jennifer Dalton, RD, WPAFB Nutrition Services
• Sabrina Neeley, Ph.D, WSU Center for Global Health Systems
• Sara Paton, Ph.D, WSU Center for Global Health Systems
• Lorraine Russell, MA, GetUp Montgomery County
• Chris Schlorman, M.P.H., PHDMC
• Bill Wharton, MA, RS, PHDMC