Moving Starke County Forward Announces New Challenge

Posted on Author WKVI

movingstarkeforwardMoving Starke County Forward organizers are striving to improve health outcomes for local residents with a new healthy challenge. They cite statistics from 2011 that indicate 37 percent of adults ages 20 and over in Starke County reported no leisure-time physical activity. They say this plays a factor in Starke County ranking 90th of 92 counties in terms of healthy outcomes. Continue reading →

Moving Starke County Forward Hosts Overdose Awareness Service

Posted on Author WKVI
Overdose Awareness 1
Aaron Kochar from Porter-Starke Services lights a candle in memory of a life lost to a drug overdose. A total of 61 candles were lit during last evening’s ceremony.

Community members paused last night at Wythogan Park to celebrate the 61 Starke County lives lost to drug overdoses over the past seven years as well as those who are in long-term recovery. Aaron Kochar is the director of prevention and education at Porter-Starke Services. He says people are now more likely to die from a fatal overdose than from a car accident.

“Up until last year, if you died in an accident it was some sort of motor vehicle accident. Now it’s overdose. Another statistic that is concerning is the fact that while a number of people will die in overdose from heroin, in fact we’ve got about three times the number who will die from a prescription opioid overdose.” Continue reading →

Sunday Vigil to Mark International Overdose Awareness Day

Posted on Author WKVI
Overdose awareness
The ribbons on the lawn at IU Health Starke Hospital represent local victims of overdoses over the past seven years.

Moving Starke County Forward is trying to take the stigma out of drug overdoses with a Sunday evening event at Wythogan Park in Knox. Advocates and community members will remember the 61 lives lost in Starke County with a candlelight vigil and share information about the perils and pitfalls of drug use. Jordan Morris from Starke County Community Corrections says people who use drugs are less likely to be aware of the potential consequences of their actions. She  says common rationalizations include “I know my limit” or “I always test what I get first, so I know the strength of it.” She adds mixing different types of drugs can often prove fatal. Continue reading →

Overdose Awareness Day Event Planned in Starke County

Posted on Author WKVI
Overdose awareness
The ribbons on the lawn at IU Health Starke Hospital represent local victims of overdoses over the past seven years.

Starke County holds the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of average accidental poisoning by exposure to drugs, medications and biological substances in 2009 and 2010. That’s according to mortality data from the Indiana State Department of Health. Local leaders are working to raise awareness of the problem. They’ve placed 61 ribbons on the lawn at IU Health Starke Hospital – one for each of the lives lost to drug overdose over the past seven years. Continue reading →

Would You Walk 500 Miles?

Posted on Author WKVI

movingstarkeforwardIf you could lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity by implementing exercise into your daily regiment, why wouldn’t you? What if I told you aside from improving your health, you could also potentially win prizes, feeling more motivated? Moving Starke County forward is a local initiative that lasts all summer long, aimed at getting members of the county up and moving. Continue reading →

Sign up for This Summer’s Moving Starke County Forward Challenge

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Members of the Moving Starke County Forward organization are still accepting registration for this year’s Healthy Challenge Series. It’s the summer campaign to get Starke County residents up and active to help curb the county’s poor health status.

Residents are encouraged to walk, bike or run. Record steps taken in the next two weeks to reach a goal of 250 miles by the end of May. Since the series follows a NASCAR theme, the first “race” to 250 miles is the Daytona 250 and ends May 23. A new goal will be announced following this “race”.

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Moving Starke County Forward Healthy Challenge Series Begins Saturday

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

This year’s Moving Starke County Forward summer challenge is about ready to begin.

The kick-off event for the NASCAR-themed Healthy Challenge Series is set for this Saturday, May 2 at Wythogan Park at 10 a.m. Participants will start the Healthy Challenge Series by walking the pace lap around the park after the sign-up process.

Residents are urged to log steps that could include walking, biking, running, swimming, or hiking for a chance to win some NASCAR prizes. Steps or miles will be recorded every two weeks to reach a certain goal during that time. The first goal will be the Daytona 250. Participants are encouraged to log activity totaling 250 miles by May 16. Details on how to report those steps will be released this week. A different goal will be released shortly before the first deadline.

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