Cherry Hill has been designated as a New Jersey Healthy Town for its implementation of the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign and the community’s strong support of the program, Mayor Chuck Cahn announced this morning.
“Healthy Town” status is the top designation given to municipalities every year by the New Jersey Mayors Wellness Campaign. Cherry Hill becomes the 16th municipality in New Jersey to receive the designation since 2007, and is one of just two towns to be given the honor this year. According to the state Mayors Wellness Campaign, more than half of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities participate in the program.
“Our goal has been to improve the health and wellness of all our residents by creating an atmosphere that encourages active living and a healthy lifestyle,” said Mayor Cahn. “By providing nutritional and recreational opportunities within the community, we have helped our residents and employees get in shape and become healthier. This recognition as a New Jersey Healthy Town speaks volumes about our community’s commitment to better health.”
Cherry Hill launched its Mayor’s Wellness Campaign in 2012, challenging local residents and businesses to “Take the Pledge” to incorporate healthy habits into their lives, and showcasing existing township programs and classes that promoted physical activity, nutrition and fitness. The program has grown in the last two years to include hundreds of programs and events hosted both by the township, the Cherry Hill Public Library, and dozens of businesses that serve as “Wellness Partners” in the community.
Offerings now span a variety of demographics and interests, and because the program strives to make wellness accessible to all residents, participation in many of the township’s programs is either low-cost or free.
“The initial aim of the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign was to show residents that healthier living can be achieved by making small changes in your lifestyle; that it doesn’t have to be a big, complicated undertaking,” Mayor Cahn said. “At the same time, we know that living well is not a one-size-fits-all concept, and we in Town Hall and our community partners have worked hard to create a variety of programs that make it easy for all of our residents to become more active and, by extension, live healthier. I’m incredibly proud of what Mayor’s Wellness has accomplished in just two years, and I am excited to continue building on our progress in the years to come.”
To qualify for “Healthy Town” status, participating towns must satisfy the following criteria:
• Participation in the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign for one year or more;
• Establishment of sustainable programs in each of the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign categories: youth in motion, seniors in motion, employers in motion and community in motion;
• Willingness to share their program information with other communities throughout the state.
As part of the award, the New Jersey Mayor’s Wellness Campaign will present Cherry Hill with a special Healthy Town sign and banner that can be displayed in the community.
“We are delighted to recognize Mayor Cahn’s efforts to implement active living and healthy lifestyle initiatives through the Cherry Hill Mayor’s Wellness Campaign,” said Divya Padgaonkar, Wellness Coordinator for the New Jersey Mayors Wellness Campaign.
Residents can learn more about the Cherry Hill Mayor’s Wellness Campaign by following us on Facebook, or by visiting the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign page at www.CherryHill-NJ.com.
