August 17, 2004

HMA Inspires Children to Live Healthy, Have Fun

Health training and services have been offered and supported by caring church members and volunteers in countries around the world where the need is great. Community of Christ Health Ministries Association (HMA) executive assistant Paula Rummel, RN, reminds us that all those who could benefit are not necessarily far away. “There are people right in our own back yards who don’t have healthcare,” she said.

Students enjoy their new fitness track

With the help of funds from a Community of Christ Tangible Love grant, Paula and several HMA volunteers shared holistic healthy living ideas and activities with the Hispanic community of the Kansas City metropolitan area. One aspect of their outreach at an elementary school during the 2003-2004 school year. An after-school program involved about 60 children. Approximately 35 adults took part in additional health education classes.

A Groundswell of Support
Scarritt Elementary School has an ethnically diverse population of students. Economically the students have more in common. More than 90 percent of Scarritt’s students qualify for the state’s free lunch program.

Throughout the school year, an outpouring of community and volunteer support helped the children and parents learn about health and safety. Seventy John Glaser (Gudgell Park congregation, Missouri) translated written materials and in person during meetings for the predominantly Spanish-speaking adult audiences.

Dental hygienist Dawn McCoun Hatfield (Grandview congregation, Missouri) and co-worker Sylvia Heskett shared proper tooth brushing and flossing techniques. She guided parents and children as they practiced these skills on a set of model teeth. Participants left with new toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss donated by Ralph Ruckman, DDS (Parkview congregation, Missouri) and John Smith, DDS (Woods Chapel congregation, Missouri). Sylvia also helped with translations.

Physical Therapist Scott Hankins (Woods Chapel congregation, Missouri) worked with the children on two occasions. He played relay games with them and taught active camp songs that can be done as exercise. Scott also came to two adult classes and taught exercises for back pain and resistance band workouts for strength training.

HMA president and retired obstetrics and gynecology physician Dr. Howard Braby, (Walnut Gardens congregation, Missouri) talked with adults about women’s health issues. Paula said, “They had lots of questions for him.” He also worked with the children on hand washing after they had planted seeds. “He was great with the kids. They loved him,” said Paula.

Pharmacist Shannon Hattey (Colonial Hills congregation, Missouri) from the local Watt drugstore donated a glucometer to check blood sugars for the adult classes on diabetes. The Kansas City Fire Department provided enough smoke detectors for each child to take one home after a class led by Paula on fire safety.

The American Heart and Stroke Association shared blood pressure cuffs and numerous brochures on heart, stroke, high blood pressure, and active lifestyle. Kansas City Chronic Disease Coalition provided bilingual cookbooks that children gave to their parents during the holidays after a class where they played nutrition bingo.

In April 2004, the school received a 4-H Healthy Lifestyles grant funded by Cargill. Paula explained, “Cargill has a soybean plant at the bottom of the bluff and the school is at the top of the bluff. Without the trees, you could look over and see the plant.”

The national grant is one of 10 funded by Cargill and has led to an ongoing relationship between plant employees and the school. Paula said, “They have really responded tremendously…sort of adopting the kids for needs such as school supplies, helping carry out the grant projects, and wanting to do education classes and read to them this next school year.”

The 4-H Healthy Lifestyles grant helped fund two projects. One provided porch gardens for students and their families. Children took a pot and cage for their tomato and pepper plants home at the end of school so they could have fresh vegetables during the summer.

A second project was a fitness track, fashioned in the style of a board game, which was spray-painted on the blacktop playground. Each square on the track features a fun challenge, such as hopping, jumping jacks, eating fruits every day, drinking water, limiting sweets, and getting plenty of rest.

Scott Hankins helped plan the exercises and lay out the track. Paula said, “The intention was that they’d use it during the summer for family exercise.” Calendars were sent home with the students so they could track the number of vegetables produced by their porch gardens as well as their use of the fitness track.

At an end-of-the-school-year Spring Fling program, Cargill employees awarded prizes to winning students for T-shirt and water bottle design contests. A Cargill representative presented Mrs. Goolsby, Scarrit principal, with a large grant check. In return, Cargill employees received oversized thank you cards the children had made. On their last day of school, each child was given a water bottle with the winning design for use during the summer.

When the students return to school in the fall of 2004, they will share their stories and number of times they used the track during the summer. Prizes will be awarded including T-shirts and pedometers that track the number of miles as a person walks. The pedometers were donated by Kansas City Chronic Disease Coalition.

Making Health Fun
“We had a good time with these kids and their families,” said Paula. “The kids especially enjoy the attention and are very appreciative that someone takes time with them,” she continued.

Discussing perceptions of health and all that includes with these children and their families helped build understanding about issues beyond feeling physically ill or well. One woman asked John Glaser for prayer when she was not feeling well. Paula explained, “There have been other experiences like this, where health issues were addressed beyond the physical.”

HMA volunteers in the Kansas City area have also been active meeting with groups in other areas of the city. “We have assisted with five health and safety fairs now,” Paula said. “The education component is important. Knowledge is power.”

The first year working with Scarritt Elementary School was a huge success. Activities and responses have been tracked so there are ideas for people in other areas who are interested in a similar local ministry. For more information about this HMA initiative, contact Paula at HMA@CofChrist.org or 1-800-825-2806, ext. 2262. For more about HMA, visit www.hmaCofChrist.org.

See more pictures on the HMA Web site.

--Kendra Friend reporting