Over the past six months, a group of community leaders have been meeting to discuss the future of Henderson as it relates to health, wellness and fitness. In partnership with Four Corners Health Department, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, as well as S&G Endeavors, this design team has been discussing the purpose of healthy living, the conversations that need to happen to increase healthy living in our community, and how to grow the conversation and create an action plan for Henderson. As a result, a Healthy Henderson Community Summit is happening this Sunday, October 28, at the MB Church from 1-5 p.m. with a free meal following at the close of the summit.    

The afternoon will consist of three different sections of activity. During the first section, attendees can expect to hear from a panel of community members who will share opportunities, personal perspectives, relationships, existing infrastructure, current programs, and community needs to help participants begin to see the potential for future community success. During the second section, a discussion will be held to create the needed initiatives to a safer and healthier Henderson by exploring topics and gaining consensus on the top 3-4 initiatives to create a measurable and prioritized action plan for each initiative. The final section will help participants talk about what next steps are needed to move towards the goals. 

This process is the result of an initiative that began in 2014, when the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services set out to make increasing physical activity a statewide initiative with a focus on helping communities prioritize walking, biking, and overall health. With the help of a CDC grant, the Nebraska Walkable Communities Initiative (WalkNE) built on existing in-state expertise to create or enhance existing walking and biking projects in local communities across the state. WalkNE, led by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, partnered with S & G Endeavors (S&G) to launch a steering committee. Four years later, WalkNE has doubled its partnerships with local communities and helped DHHS fulfill its goal to make walkability a state-wide health priority.

Help us create a Healthy Henderson on Sunday, October 28, in the afternoon at the MB Church because Healthy Living isn’t just a hope, it’s a goal with a concrete plan.