MORE ABOUT THE FAIR AFFAIR

Stolen from lynnhappens.com .

Toward a Healthy and Green City of Lynn

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

At the Ford School last week more than 700 people attended an open house and Health Fair.
Families spoke with teachers then sampled our version of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move,” as we
combined food and fitness with music.

To encourage eating healthy food:
• The Food Project’s cider press made gallons of cider from apples donated by Brooksby Farm;
• We sold organic tomato sauce, bottled by Sauces ‘N Love of Lynn;
• Brother’s Deli donated salad that was served on plates from McDonalds;
• Greg Repuccci of No. Shore Community College served apple sauce and promoted canning.

To improve physical fitness:
• Nick Chum kick-boxed and asked women to join a Highlands self-defense group;
• YMCA’s Jose led Zumba exercises / dance, inspiring us to do so on a regular basis;

The band raised spirits with songs from Jumbalaya to B-I-N-G-O. Dozens received flu shots. Fifth graders
talked about parts of plants – the root, stem, leaf and flower.
A $1 donation raffle organized by lunch aides raised over $500 to build the Harry Harley Hoop House,
which will grow vegatables year-round. Salem Five contributed $500.
The epidemic of childhood malnutrion, especially obesity, is very present in Lynn. Cases of cancers
and diabetes are rising, especially among blacks and Latinos. Yet people who eat one pound of fruit
and veggies a day have one-half the cancer rate of the average America.
Lynn schools can become the centers to educate about and produce healthy food. At the elementary
level, every MCAS math and science question can be answered in a garden. All schools should have a
garden and a health fair. They cost so little and do so much.
Working with the Food Project, we built 25 gardens in the Highlands this year. Working with Mass.
DCR and Lynn DPW, we planted 60 trees the past month, mainly along Essex St.
Come on, citizens of Lynn: Let’s get healthy and Go Green!
David Gass
The Highlands Coalition