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Managing Editor SPRINGFIELD Over 100 children and adults walked down Main Street to City Hall on Thursday morning to convey a simple message: " Eat smart. Play hard." The march down Main Street was one of the events to note National Nutrition Month sponsored by Tapestry Health's Springfield North WIC program. This year was the second such community walk. Tapestry Health operates two WIC offices in Springfield and one in West Springfield. Once gathered at City Hall, there was a half-hour rally in which various speakers urged the children to get more exercise and to avoid junk food. Helen Caulton-Harris, the head of Springfield's Department of Health, administered an oath to the children that included promises to eat their fruits and vegetables and to "grow up strong." After the rally, the children walked to Tower Square where there was a performance by the theatrical troupe Food Play and information tables by a number of organizations, including the YMCA, Springfield Partners for Community Action, Massachusetts Career Development Institute and many more. Leslie Laurie, president of Tapestry Health, explained to Reminder Publications that event was to publicize the WIC program in the city. WIC, which stands for Women, Infants and Children, is a nutrition program for lower-income mothers and their children. In Massachusetts, women can qualify for WIC if they have a nutritional need, are pregnant, have a child less than five years of age or are breastfeeding and meet financial guidelines. In Springfield over 6,000 people participate in the WIC program. Laurie said in addition to vouchers for good food, WIC participants and their families meet with a nutritionist. One of the challenges facing many people is advertising that encourages the consumption of junk food, which Laurie pointed out is often more expensive than healthy alternatives. She added that some people have been intimidated by the "food pyramid" and its guidelines for healthy eating. She said that's why her organization is supporting the "More Matters" campaign that simply asks people to eat more fruit and vegetables. To learn more about WIC, call the program at 734-3133 or 737-8868 in Springfield or 734-1381 in West Springfield. | ||||||
