September 28, 2007

Little Rock -- Community, neighborhood, civic, medical, public health and residents from Pulaski, Lonoke, Perry, Faulkner, Garland, Grant, and Saline Counties will gather in the Campus Center Building at Pulaski Technical College of North Little Rock on Friday, September 28, 2007 beginning at 8:30 am to gather and share information on evidenced based practices designed to improve health and then implement changes in their local communities. This year’s theme is “Neighbors Building Healthy Communities: Step by Step”.

The conference speakers include Mayor Patrick H. Hayes of North Little Rock; Dr. Joe Bates, Deputy State Health Officer, Arkansas Department; Steve Weston, Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department; Tamara Baker of the Office of Coordinated School Health, Arkansas Department of Health and Helen Weir, Worksite Wellness Coordinator, Arkansas Department of Health. Lisa Cirill, Acting Chief, California Center for Physical Activity, California Department of Public Health, is the keynote speaker. Ms. Cirill heads the Center which creates opportunities for incidental, everyday physical activity through environmental and policy change. She oversees numerous state-wide projects to increase physical activity and promote active living for Californians of all ages and abilities. Ms. Cirill has managed active aging and community walkability programs.

This conference is sponsored by the Arkansas Department of Health, Central Public Health Region’s Office of Hometown Health Improvement. For more information, please contact Kizma Williams on (501) 280-4950 or Bonnie Clinton on (501) 231-4782.

###