Carnegie Free Library to promote health literacy through upcoming events
CONNELLSVILLE — The Carnegie Free Library in Connellsville is encouraging people within the community to get up and get moving.
Through a variety of upcoming events, the library will continue to promote the importance of health literacy, which is in keeping with the Pennsylvania Library Association’s goal to fuel people’s knowledge of leading healthy and active lifestyles.
The Friends of the Carnegie Free Library is sponsoring the second-annual “Bike for Books” event on June 1 at Yough River Park in Connellsville.
Cathy Kumor, Friends of the Carnegie Library Executive Board officer, said the fundraising event is an opportunity for work sites, schools, friends and families to enjoy a healthy, physical activity along the Great Allegheny Passage.
The event includes a “bike rodeo” focusing on safety skills for children ages 4 through 12. Safe Kids will be performing bike safety and bike helmet checks for young children.
This year, the group with the highest number of participants will be awarded a traveling trophy, Kumor said.
The Friends also recently adopted a healthy food policy for events.
“The policy states we will always offer healthy choices at our sponsored events, as well as water,” Kumor said. “Many people … have difficulty following a healthy eating plan when attending different activities. We definitely want to support a culture of wellness with our events.”
The library has also partnered with the Buy Local Network — an initiative of the Fay-Penn Economic Development Council — for the event.
“It’s important that we try and maintain our local libraries and support their activities and programs,” said Robert Junk, local economy manager for Fay-Penn. “Through our relationship with the library, and offering Buy Local Bucks, we can continue to educate people on the value of buying locally.”
The library is also partnering with the Buy Local Network for the Family Fitness Program, which is a research-based program developed by Penn State Extension specialists and nutrition experts.
The program teaches participants how to lead healthier lives by increasing fruit, vegetable, whole grain and low-fat dairy consumption; fostering positive communication and collaboration on planning and preparing healthy meals and snacks; increasing minutes of physical activity.
Parents, caregivers and children must sign up for the program together.
Buy Local will give Buy Local Bucks to be used at the Connellsville Farmers’ Market to all of the participants at the beginning of the program, during the third week of the program, and again when they complete the program.
Also this summer, the library, along with the Gibson House in Connellsville, will be the first sites for Wednesday Walks — a program of the Healthy Lifestyles Taskforce.
The first walk will take place on June 12.
The library has also provided space over the past two years, for researchers to interview and evaluate Fayette County residents who have diabetes as part of the Habit Study.
The study has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and conducted by University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing researchers.
“This generosity has contributed significantly to the science of improving health and quality of life for individuals who are dealing with complex medical conditions and treatment regimens,” said Casey Sirochman, head librarian/director. “All of the programs are under the umbrella of this effort to promote health literacy in the community.”
Health literacy is just one of five literacies that Pennsylvania libraries focus on through an initiative called PA Forward.
The other four include, basic, information, financial and civic/social.
In addition to the upcoming events, the library has continually offered yoga classes for people in the community, and has also recently adopted a vision of wellness.