By Keith Purtell
Brandi Lee went to Arrowhead Mall on Thursday and was surprised when she got the opportunity for free flu shots for herself and her kids.
“I knew I needed one and my kids did, too,” the 26-year-old said. “I was also interested in the free literature about medication to prevent cervical cancer.”
The free shots and literature were part of a public service event hosted by the Muskogee Wellness Initiative. The event ran from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jason Shelor, a public health educator with the Cherokee Nation, said a number of booths were set up throughout the mall covering the need to eat better, move more, and stop using tobacco.
“I’m doing body mass index measurements,” he said. “We’ve had about 30 people already on this thing.”
At the community garden booth, there was free literature about the benefits of community gardens, a sign-up sheet for anyone who wanted to get involved, and free seeds. The table also was decorated with examples of garden plants.
Right next door were two booths on nutrition. One caught the eye of Julie Cunningham, 12.
“I just like to know how much fat there is in food and things like that,” she said. “The people here told me about school lunch programs. They also told me you can grow a lot of vegetables, and it’s healthier for you than eating steaks.”
Julie’s dad, Roy Cunningham, 55, also was interested.
“Nutrition is something I got interested in lately,” he said. “I’m a heart patient at the VA. This presentation is an incredible value, especially when it comes to healthier lifestyles. You can’t go wrong with this information.”
Martha Alford, health educator with the Muskogee County Health Department, pointed out one of the ways nutrition has dramatically changed over the years.
“In the 1800s, the average American ate two pounds of sugar per year,” she said. “Now the average American eats three pounds of sugar per week. It’s in everything.”
On one table, a large piece of paper was titled Health Resolutions for 2009. The public was invited to write their own and contributed everything from “Lose more weight” to “No more kids.”
Darlene Davis, 63, of Porter said she got her body mass measured, and added that she is worried about the public’s level of fitness.
“Oklahoma is one of the top states for high obesity,” she said. “I think it looks like each booth there will have some useful information. People are really gearing up after the holidays and thinking about losing those pounds they gained.”
