Eight group discussions centered around key elements to healthy lifestyles for residents, those dealing with Active Living, Business Wellness, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, a Youth Council, Nutritional, Environmental, Communication and Spiritual Wellness concerns.
A wide variety of citizens took part, with many of those representing organizations already addressing some of the issues discussed. The overall aim was to make Covington a "better, healthier and safer" community.
The focus groups talked over various possible avenues of action, made a report on what they had decided, and plans were made for another meeting in the future to see what progress had been made. Goals, both overall and individual, were shared with the group.
Here are some photographs of the event. Click on the images to make them larger.
Becky Gelatt explained that she had approached Mayor Mike Cooper some time ago and asked about the possibility of starting a Mayor's Council on Healthy Lifestyles. Gelatt has operated a Yoga School in Covington for many years.
"What can Covington offer in the way of a healthier lifestyle," she asked. With Mayor Cooper giving the go-ahead, efforts began to bring together a diverse group of people with insights on what Covington had, plus what it could bring in, regarding the issue. Mayor Mark Johnson is continuing the effort.
"It's really starting to take off now," Gelatt stated. "We've got people from St. Tammany Parish hospital, we've got people from the school system, some from COAST, some from Southeast Hospital. We have been recognized for years as one of the healthiest cities in the area, and now the state is seeing the value in promoting Louisiana cities as offering healthy lifestyles.
"Many of these young people have been addressing their own separate concerns, and this group is giving them all a voice and opportunity to work together," Gelatt went on to say. "All of those people can be brought together and hopefully get the rest of the community involved."
The needs may be identified district by city council district and then dealt with by people who live within those districts. Nutrition in the schools and nutrition for the senior citizens are two of the avenues being explored, along with home health agency initiatives. Gelatt is working on increased awareness of the environment: the air, the water and the earth. Judicious plantings of trees may be on the agenda as well.
Gelatt's goal is to see a community unified around healthy living, to make it part of the community mindset and something every citizen is aware of and proud to participate in.
