OU Proctorville site of special tea

 

PROCTORVILLE — The Lawrence County Health and Wellness Initiative will hold its third meeting, an afternoon tea, at Ohio University Proctorville later this month.

The meeting, set for Thursday, Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. will feature teas imported from Asia as well as a special program and action circle meetings, according to initiative coordinator Dr. David Lucas. Any individual interested in joining the initiative are welcome to attend.

Lucas said while the initiative, whose goal it is to improve overall health and wellness among Lawrence County residents continues to gain support, it is in need of a two specific things to be successful. “We need seed money donations to bring out the organization to peak performance. If any of you know of donation money that might be directed our way, contact me. All checks should be made out to: LawCo Health and Wellness Initiative,” Lucas wrote by e-mail on Friday, “Anyone who enjoys or enjoys success in writing grants…we need you. We need a grant writer to begin focusing on bringing in the kind of revenue that will allow us to run special programs.”

Lucas said the group is also making plans to visit Delaware County, which placed No. 1 among Ohio’s counties in the 2011 health and wellness rankings, compiled by the Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health or MATCH project. That was a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

He said the initiative will also work on its plans to have a “very active and aggressive” presence at the Lawrence County Junior 4-H Fair this July.

In an interview last month, Lucas said the organization is continuing to work to establish its non-profit status as well as improve its online presence through its website: sites.google.com/site/lawcohealthandwellness.

Lucas said he is particularly hoping to attract more members of the local faith-based community to participate in the initiative. “I’d like to see them get involved -the whole concept of our bodies being a temple for God,” he said.

He added, the organization is always open to community members and professionals who want to be a part of making Lawrence County a healthier place.

“I want everybody to know that the meetings and the kinds of things we’re doing are open to the people of the county,” he said.