Healthy Franklin County, a local health improvement coalition, is launching the Move for Mental Health awareness campaign. The goals of the campaign are to increase awareness of the benefits of physical activity as it relates to mental health and to promote existing community resources, programs and supports.
Physical activity has an immediate positive impact on the brain, reducing stress and anxiety while improving focus and mood and has been shown to reduce the severity of depression and other mental illness. Visit www.healthyfranklincounty.org/moveformentalhealth to learn about how physical activity can be incorporated into different settings including homes, workplaces and everyday activities. The webpage also has information about community supports, tools and program to support mental health and well-being.
As part of the campaign, Healthy Franklin County is cross-promoting the Everybody Walks Across Pennsylvania free, 8-week walking program (April 10th – June 5th, 2023) coordinated by Penn State Cooperative Extension. Healthy Franklin County is offering incentives to individuals who work and live in Franklin County to encourage participation. At the end of the program a random drawing will be held for gift cards to Giant Food Stores and for WellSpan Health Market Bucks (which can be used at local farmers markets). The deadline to register for the walking program and incentives is March 27th!
For information about how Everybody Walk Across Pennsylvania works, visit https://extension.psu.edu/everybody-walk-across-pa-program-information
To register for Everybody Walk Across Pennsylvania (YOU MUST REGISTER BY MARCH 27) visit https://web.cvent.com/event/b2602aa8-8b84-42ef-b981-b6f64383fb31/regProcessStep1.
If you plan to participate in a team, each individual should still complete the registration. Select a team captain and decide on a team name and wait for further instructions which will come in an email from the Penn State Extension Office before the event begins.
If you work or live in Franklin County would like to be eligible to win prizes, keep an eye out for the email about creating a team from Penn State Cooperative Extension, and select “Healthy Franklin County” from the dropdown menu (even if you are participating as an individual).
In addition to the program registration, individuals should also register directly with Healthy Franklin County by March 27 to ensure entry for prizes. Visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOZYq8j0hvgP2lq3aXvjMbo-MHkpHenVEGmeHZa69Ebc-Hdw/viewform where you can register and find information about how to get additional entries by participating in other community programs and events.
Contact Noel Purdy, Executive Director of Healthy Franklin County at npurdy@wellspan.org with questions.
