Nederland Joins LiveWell Colorado HEAL Campaign

While I am not certain, I think tonight was Joe Gierlach’s last Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting, as Mayor of Nederland. It is worth a mention that he did something pretty cool that will impact the BOT and the town moving forward. He invited LiveWell Colorado to introduce some of their work, which was followed by the four Trustees in attendance passing a Resolution joining the LiveWell Colorado HEAL Campaign.

A HEAL campaign sounds a bit dramatic but if you look at the stats, you realize it should. While Colorado is one of the leaner states in the nation, we are following the same trend as everyone else and getting heavier and less healthy! Of course, we know this takes a toll on everything from our knees and budgets to the overall cost of health care. LiveWell Colorado, through the HEAL (Healthy Eating and Active Living) Campaign provides technical assistance and expertise to towns like ours, working to incorporate healthy eating and active living in our policies. The priorities of the HEAL Campaign are already steeped in our local culture, as well as in our many plans. By working with LiveWell Colorado, we will broaden our pool of expertise and resources available to best implement these ideals in our plans.

I am excited to know that the BOT will prioritize being a healthy community as we make improvements to our town. As I am anxiously awaiting a response to a Letter of Interest that I submitted to The Colorado Health Foundation on behalf of Nederland Middle Senior High, I can’t help but wonder if this proof of community commitment would have better positioned our school in the grant request process? Joining this Campaign that is gaining notoriety across the state, provides easily recognizable shape to the work we have developed because of Envision 2020. It is going to be beneficial to be part of this broadly understood Campaign as it incorporates all of our already awesome ongoing work. I do believe the support we receive will extend beyond expertise and technical assistance. If I am elected to the BOT, I'll work to make sure it includes growing community engagement and being more knowledgeable of and competitive for related grants. Exciting times ahead!

Here’s to health and happiness!

Julie Gustafson