Special events planned for Public Health Week in Anderson County

The Oak Ridger
·2 min read

The Anderson County Health Department is taking part in National Public Health Week, April 1-7, by collecting hygiene products, promoting anti-smoking and anti-vaping programs in schools and more.

A news release lists the following activities:

  • April 1: Staff will encourage and assist all patients to register to vote. Further, staff will begin collecting hygiene products to donate to the Tennessee Out-Reach Center for Homeless (TORCH). Additionally, the Public Health Educator is partnering with UT Extension to offer an after-school yoga club with Glenwood Elementary.

April 2: Staff will promote the benefits of being outdoors with their Matter of Balance class at the Anderson County Senior Center, a partnership with UT Extension. The Public Health Educator also hosts “Catch My Breath,” a tobacco/vaping prevention program, at Grand Oaks Elementary for all fifth graders who receive permission. The Public Health Educator will also drop off anti-tobacco signage at all participating schools.

April 3: Remaining sessions of the “Catch My Breath” curriculum with all participating fifth graders.

April 4: Staff will encourage and promote access to vaccines with all patients, as well as distribute vaccine information flyers across the community. Matter of Balance continues at the Anderson County Senior Center.

April 5: Staff will donate collected hygiene products to the center for homeless (TORCH). Also, all staff will be encouraged to take the time to walk at work.

April 7: Staff will attend the “Celebration of a Young Child” event, hosted by the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge to promote the future of public health and the current services offered at the health department.

‘’Our health department staff work extremely hard by providing many health services to people in our community and I’m very proud of the challenging work they do every single day,’’ Anderson County Health Department Director Charles Turner said in the release.

The Anderson County Health Department offers numerous health programs and services in the community including:

  • CHANT – care coordination for families and individuals to medical and social service needs;

  • GIFTS – Tennessee’s new pregnancy smoking cessation program;

  • TNSTRONG – Youth-led movement advocating for tobacco-free lifestyles;

National Public Health Week will focus on many ways to make our people and communities more healthy.
National Public Health Week will focus on many ways to make our people and communities more healthy.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Special events planned for Public Health Week in Anderson County