Congratulations Region 5!

Region 5 of the CTG Project was awarded the Norton Group Award at the North Carolina Public Health Association’s 2013 annual conference. 

The Norton Group Award is given to a group for outstanding cooperation and service to public health in North Carolina during the past year.

Established in 1952, the award is presented annually in honor of Dr. John William Roy Norton, who served as State Health Director from 1948 thru 1965.

Congratulations Region 5, this is truly an honor and you all should be very proud! 

Who is Dr. John W. R. Norton?

A Scotland County native, John William Roy Norton attended Trinity College (now Duke University) for both his undergraduate and law degrees. After two years of teaching and coaching at Lumberton High School and Sneads Grove school, Dr. Norton entered medical school at the University of North Carolina. He then earned his AA.D. at Vanderbilt University and practiced at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and later in Fort Smith, Arkansas, before returning to his home state to serve as Superintendent of Health in Rocky Mount.

Prior to World War II, Dr. Norton served with the North Carolina Board of Health as Assistant Director of County Health Work and Assistant Director in the Division of Preventive Medicine, and also was Professor of Public Health Administration at the University of North Carolina.

After a distinguished record with the Army in North Africa, Italy and England during World War II, Dr. Norton joined the Tennessee Valley Authority as a Staff Officer.

On July 1, 1948, Dr. Norton became North Carolina State Health Director. Dr. Norton's tenure as Health Director was distinguished in many ways. His prompt and decisive action in combating the state's worst polio epidemic in 1948 brought this comment from Governor Dan K. Moore: "The citizens of North Carolina, if for no other reason, owe Dr. Norton a tremendous debt of gratitude for his prompt and zealous actions in dealing with the 1948 polio epidemic, which was the worst in the state's history."

During his 17 years of service, Dr. Norton continued to provide stable leadership and dedication to the State Board of Health staff and the public. He led the state to see polio practically eliminated and North Carolina's tuberculosis death toll cut from around 4,000 to less than 200 annually. His faithfulness to the job earned him numerous honors, including the presidency of the American Public Health Association.

Dr. Norton passed away in 1974 and was laid to rest in Scotland County. His gravestone reads, “John William Roy Norton M.D. July 11, 1898 – March 28, 1974, North Carolina State Health Director 1948 – 1967,   World War I and II, He lives for his energy, was too powerful to die, and too dedicated to forget.”

Source: The Health Bulletin, Vol. 81, No. 1, January 1966

Healthy Lungs at Play in Alamance County

In July 2013, Burlington City Council voted unanimously to amend Burlington’s smoking ordinance to prohibit smoking in specific kid-frequented ares of city parks. 

Burlington’s Recreation and Parks director had received many complaints about secondhand cigarette smoke at parks’ play areas and  youth athletic events. After a public hearing, the ban was put in place to protect children from harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

The smoking ban is in effect for the city’s playgrounds, swimming pools, restrooms, dressing areas, youth athletic fields, tennis courts, spectator areas, BMX track and amusement ride. Smoking will also not be allowed at concert areas.

Prior to the ban, students from Cumming High School picked up cigarette butts in Burlington’s parks. They collected 461 butts in Burlington parks alone and 1,477 in parks throughout the county. Supporters from SafeKids of Alamance County and Healthy Alamance’s Child Asthma Coalition also sent letters in support of the smoking ban.

The Community Transformation Grant Project is providing funding to purchase signs that will be placed in all City of Burlington parks. 

Congratulations to Alamance County on this tobacco-free living success!

Farmstand - Connecting every community with locally grown food.

This week is National Farmers' Market Week and North Carolina ranks in the top 10 states with the most farmers' markets! Have you ever wondered where your closest market is? Or what hours it is open? Or what is currently available? Well now all of this information is available at your fingertips!

Farmstand App connects users with their closest farmers' market. Download the app to find markets in your area, see hours of operation, get directions and post photos of your favorite finds.

The Community Transformation Grant Project is excited to be partnering with Farmstand to enhance the app by adding payment options. Users will now be able to see if their closest market accepts SNAP and EBT benefits. We will also be encouraging members in our region to begin using Farmstand to support our local farmers' markets.

Support National Farmers' Market Week and visit your closest market today! Download the Farmstand App or visit the All In 4 Health website to find your local market.

Farmstand App Screenshots

UNC Master’s Students Map Food Vendors in Chatham County

Blog post originally from Chatham County Public Health Department - http://www.chathampublichealth.com/uncategorized/unc-masters-students-map-food-vendors-in-chatham-county/

Did you know there are over 70 locations in Chatham County that sell grocery items? Two Masters of Public Health Students from UNC – Chapel Hill visited all the stores, roadside stands, and farmers markets in the county as part of a project they are doing with the Chatham County Public Health Department this summer. The data the students have collected will be compiled into a map to illustrate where healthy foods are sold in Chatham County.

This map will then be used to explore the relationships between food availabilityand the health of the community. The Public Health Department will use this information to form partnerships with convenience stores in Chatham County to explore ways of offering more healthy food options and to promote healthy foods in stores.

Conveying data in the format of a map makes these relationships easier to recognize. Special mapping software, called ArcGIS, helps the human brain comprehend complex relationships and environments by displaying information through visual patterns. Using this software, the students will combine socio-demographic and health indicator data, such as income, education, or health outcomes with the healthy food map to better understand how these factors interact.

The main focus of this project is to see where fresh fruits and vegetables are available for purchase. However, the students also looked at other food groups to see if customers could also purchase foods that fulfill the United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate recommendations. MyPlate recommends fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy products as the building blocks of a healthy diet.

This project is funded by the Community Transformation Grant, which focuses on healthy eating, tobacco-free living, and active living.

Cedar Ridge Farmers’ Market Opening Soon in Yanceyville

Lucas Bernard, of Caswell County, knows firsthand the benefits of eating locally grown food. “I grew up on a cattle farm and we always had a big garden” said Bernard. “A majority of the food on our table came from the farm.”

At an early age, Bernard was able to tell the difference between the quality of locally grown and imported food. This love for local food eventually led him to developing a new farmers’ market in the county. 

“We decided to open a market two years ago when we saw concerns about food quality, freshness and contamination issues in the produce industry,” explained Bernard. “When you can get vegetables in season, from your neighbor, that means less hands have touched it, less time in storage and transportation, which equals higher quality produce.”

The new Cedar Ridge Farmers’ Market is set to open in July and will provide local residents with fresh-picked produce, baked goods and handmade crafts. The market will be set up under a 2,300 square feet shelter that has 17 tables along with handicap access and on-site parking. 

Bernard is excited for the market to open and says that he is seeing great support of locally grown products in Caswell. “Older generations know and younger ones are learning that freshness and ripeness count,” said Bernard.

Cedar Ridge Farmers’  Market will be open on July 13 and is located at 1773 Old Hwy 86 in Yanceyville. For more information call 336 - 694 - 1814. 

Have a happy and healthy 4th of July!

How will you celebrate the 4th of July? All In 4 Health suggests cooking with red, white and blue! Here are a few healthy suggestions - 

Red, White and Blue Parfait

Red Beet Salad

Red, White and Blue Salad

Blueberry, Strawberry & Jicama Salsa

Fourth of July Shrimp Skewers

Maple View Farm - Hillsborough, NC

The year was 1963 and Bob Nutter was escaping the harsh weather in Maine to deliver three cows down South. His first stop was New Jersey, then he continued on to North Carolina and Georgia. As he made his way back to the snow that waited for him in Maine, he drove through the lush rolling hills of North Carolina and took in the sight of green grass and flowers on a sunny April day.

When Bob returned home to his family's dairy farm he told his father that, "there is a much better place to raise cows than Maine!" In July, the family made the move down to North Carolina and began looking for land. It only took them two weeks to find and fall in love with 600 acres that were for sale in Hillsborough. They purchased the land and began establishing their farm. On August 1, 1963 they milked their first cow and they have been milking every day since.

Maple View Farm now consists of 400 acres - 200 for graising and 200 for growing barley and corn to feed the cattle. The farm produces milk, butter and ice cream. In an average week they ship around 10,000 bottles of milk.

You can see the farm any time by visiting the Maple View Agricultural Center or Country Store (which sells delicious ice cream!). For more information visit: http://www.mapleviewfarm.com/