A SusanvilleStuff Photofeature
by Jeremy Couso
It was the loveliest of fall mornings – a big full-moon over Susanville Ranch Park with splashes of yellow, red and orange on the hillsides providing a magnificent backdrop for the Lassen County Public Health Department’s SNAP-Ed Walk to School event held last Thursday at schools around town. Students who normally rode the bus all the way to the school’s doorstep got a chance to breathe in the crisp fall air and stretch their legs a bit before school started.
“The purpose of the walk behind the Walk to School event,” explains Lassen Public Health’s SNAP Educator Emily Griffin, “was to get kids to become more active 15-20 minutes a day!”
Griffin said that recent numbers indicate up to 46% of low income children are classified as overweight or obese. Lassen County Public Health and SNAP-Ed are trying to start programs to get kids to add a little more physical activity to their days.
“Lassen County SNAP-Education Program wanted to participate in the National Walk to School Day in Susanville to bring awareness to the communities that are close enough to school to be able to walk their kids to school instead of driving them to school. It helps parents and students get a little more exercise during the day and also reduces the unnecessary amount of traffic in front of the schools in the mornings.”
Griffin thanked the city and county emergency responders who participated in the event including the Susanville Fire Department, the Susanville Police Department , the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and SEMSA.SFD, SPD, Sheriff’s Dept. and SEMSA. She also thanked City Administrator Jared Hancock for coming to the event along with all of the Public Health Staff that helped put on the early-morning Walk to School.
