Town Hall meeting set to share information
on how to prevent underage drinking

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and in the Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking is supporting a series of town hall meetings across the nation to help educate young people and caring adults about the risks associated with underage drinking.

Among young people the prevalence of underage drinking increases with age, making it more important than ever to begin teaching youth at an early age about the dangers of alcohol. On April 3 at 7 p.m., Four Corners Community Behavior Health and Verne Larsen with the Utah State Board of Education will sponsor an Underage Drinking Prevention: Town Hall Meeting at Emery High School in the Little Theatre. The meeting is intended to raise awareness of the risks of underage drinking. The town hall meeting is a national effort by ICCPUD to inform youth, parents, caregivers and other adults about the harmful effects of underage drinking.

In 2007, 15.0 percent of 8th grade students, 33.4 percent of 10th grade students and 44.4 percent of 12th grade students reporting drinking an alcoholic beverage in the previous month. Heavy drinking is a problem at all three grade levels. Among 8th graders, about one in 20 (5.5 percent) reported being drunk at least once in the past month. Nearly one out of every five 10th grader (18.1 percent) and about three out of every 10 12th graders (28.7 percent) reported being drunk at least once in the last month.

Accepting a fitness challenge

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is launching the inaugural National President’s Challenge - a six-week physical activity challenge that encourages all Americans to get up and move at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. The Challenge kicked off on March 20, and culminates on May 15.

The Southeastern Utah Medical Reserve Corps has accepted this challenge and invites residents of Carbon, Emery, Grand and San Juan to get up and get moving. Everyone can be involved in making “active” activities part of a regular family, work or recreational routine. Whether exercising in the morning with colleagues, going for a walk after dinner, hiking on the weekend, going to the park instead of the movies, or playing basketball in the driveway, the opportunities for physical activity are endless. The goal is to have Americans of all ages and abilities take steps to improve their health.

Staying active with others can be a lot of fun. They’ll help keep you motivated - even when you don’t really feel like it. Groups are a great way to meet new people. There are even programs for people at different activity levels: the Active Lifestyle program aimed at beginners, and the Presidential Champions program for those who are already active. To learn more about the President’s Challenge, go to: http://www.presidentschallenge.org
Cynthia Grant, Southeastern Utah Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator, has joined in this challenge and encourages all of you to make this commitment to fitness and health. To help track and recognize your participation, the SEUMRC has set up a group on the President’s Challenge website called “SEUMRC” (group number 68632). Signing up for a group is simple. And there’s no limit to how any you can belong to. You can join or leave at any time. All you have to do is register. It’s quick, and there’s no cost just to participate!

How to join:
1) Go to http://www.presidentschallenge.org/login/register_individual.aspx
2) Fill out the registration form. To join the SEUMRC group, click on “Your Groups” and enter the following information:Group ID Number: 68632
Group Member ID/Name: (use your e-mail as your member ID or create one of your own)
3) After registering, start logging your activities. As you log activities you’ll be able to track your progress toward winning a President’s Challenge Award or Medal.
For more information on joining SEUMRC contact Cynthia Grant at 435-748-2997 or cgrant@utah.gov.