Health series project is on its way with feedback

The project is under way! In a column of mine that was published two weeks ago, I asked Manchester community members to help me put together a major series on health in our community. I said it would focus on four areas: nutrition, exercise, mental health and safety.

So far I've heard from a handful of you and the following ideas, programs and health businesses were mentioned:
-Purchasing fresh, healthy produce from the Farmers' Market
-Visiting Andrews Chiropractic office in town
-Holistic help from a woman who works with Washtenaw County patients
-Massage therapy
-Fuel up to Play 60, a new healthy eating/exercise program at the middle school
-the food pantry and recipe resources at the CRC
-Exercise with Class workout center on Pleasant Lake Road

These are all great ideas and very helpful. I wasn't too surprised that all ideas so far are related to nutrition and exercise. Those are the two obvious areas related to health. But mental health and safety are just as important to maintaining a vibrant community.

When I say mental health, I'm not necessarily talking about just psychiatrists and psychologists either. I'm also talking about programs that keep people engaged, make them feel included in the community, give them opportunities and guidance, and create opportunities for local residents to get to know one another and make friendships. An example would be the countless Manchester fundraisers, Chamber events, or even sporting events. This is a category in which Manchester does extremely well.

When it comes to safety, that might be a challenging category to brainstorm as well. But when it comes down to it, life is more enjoyable when people feel safe and taken care of. For example, how well does the WCSO oversee Manchester Village and its surrounding townships? Does the Manchester Fire Department do a good job? Which townships have a neighborhood watch set up? These questions make a difference too... especially when comparing Manchester to other communities such as Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti.

For those who missed the column, I've included it below in italics. If you have ideas worth sharing with me, there is still plenty of time to do that! Contact me at jmiller@heritage.com or (734) 429-7380, or meet with me at the Manchester District Library on Sept. 26 at 2 p.m.

I’m not a huge fan of statistics—primarily because they’re always a huge downer—but every now and then one pops up that catches my attention. The one that currently has me worrying is the one that says our young generation is so unhealthy that children will be outlived by their parents.

Not good. Not good at all.

While I usually take these sorts of things with a grain of salt, nutrition and health are areas that I take extremely seriously. Some journalists have passions in environmental reform. Others are passionate about politics. I care about what Generation X, Y and Z are stuffing in their faces and how they’re staying healthy.

My generation, Generation Y or the Echo Boomers, happens to be part of the problem. The back end of our group, born in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, have deteriorating eating habits.

Most people are aware of the rising obesity rate in our county as well. But what is being done about it at national, state and local levels?

Campaigns and causes that have caught attention in recent years include the Girls on the Run program, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, the Childhood Obesity Task Force, and local snack programs.

So what does this have to do with Manchester?

I’d like to write an in-depth health series about Manchester. I want to know how, when and where different efforts are being made to better our community’s diet, exercise, mental health and safety needs.

Since I’ve been covering this community for almost a year now, I’m familiar with a few of the basics. I know about the major school programs and I can get in contact with administrators. I’m also familiar with some of the area groups and events that promote healthy living and exercise.

But what I don’t know is the small stories. What do you do to take care of yourself? What do you do to make sure your kids are eating right and exercising? Where do you buy your food, and what kinds?

These are the questions I’m really interested in. I can handle the specialist interviews and the nutrition research. But I also want to know which programs and incentives you’re aware of, if you take advantage of them, and why. I want to know if you think your choices are strong, and if you think you could improve. Then I want to help you find out how that’s possible.

This is primarily an experiment on my part to crowd source you, my audience. I think Manchester’s sense of community could make this project take off, and I think it could really benefit neighbors and friends.

My goal for the end result is to put together interviews and an in-depth analysis on the major areas that encompass health: diet, exercise, mental health and safety. If I do this well, and if you help me with your own ideas, the end result would be an incredibly informative profile on our community. Some parents might not be aware of the tools available to them. Some retirees might not know about a program they have special access to.

If you’re willing to help me brainstorm ideas, or you know about a program in the community that fits a healthy description, I’m asking you to do one of two things. Either meet with me in person to discuss ideas on Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. at the district library, or contact me via e-mail or phone.

In the end, Manchester will be better informed and I’ll be able to present a full picture. Let’s show the rest of the area what we can do. I look forward to hearing from you!

Jana Miller is the copy editor of the Manchester Enterprise. She can be reached at (734) 429-7380 or jmiller@heritage.com.