Past and present Healthy Living Festivals have been made possible by

the generous support from the following:


 

 

                      

                    

                               

 

The Healthy Living Festival (HLF) was originally designed and called for an “Intergenerational Picnic, Walk and Policy Event”.   We decided to broaden the intent of the event towards the end of the Walkable Neighborhoods For Seniors (WN4S) grant period in January 2004, to extend beyond and be inclusive of WN4S but to include a more holistic approach to health promotion for sixty plus adults in Alameda County. (For more information on WN4S please visit the website.)

We decided to open this event to the many aspects of senior healthy and active living as a way to increase the possibility of success.  By broadening the scope of the event, we were able to bring more agencies and organizations into the planning process.  The inclusion of other agencies and organizations in the planning process, secured their participation and helped in hosting the event.  The USOAC-WN4S Project joined efforts with Supervisor Miley’s office, Alameda County Meals on Wheels, Senior Injury Prevention Project, Oakland Pedestrian Safety Project, Lifelong Medical Care, UC Berkeley Traffic Safety Center, Alameda County Public Health Department’s Nutrition Services, Hill and Company Communications, 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, and many other physical activity, health and/or senior oriented CBO, businesses and agencies, to organize the First Annual Healthy Living Festival, held on July 9, 2004.

The HLF was a whopping success! USOAC board members, staff and the HLF Steering Committee were thrilled with the outcomes of this first Healthy Living Festival.  When we initially started seriously organizing and planning the details of this event in February of 2004, we hoped that we could gather a few hundred older adults, along with a few agencies and organizations to join us at our HLF to promote healthy living for the sixty plus adults of Alameda County.  The result far exceeded our expectations. We all had anticipated only about 400 participants, but planned for 500, “just to be safe.”  Much to our surprise, over 700 elders and their supporters turned out!  We had over 500 older adults, 80 volunteers, over 50 exhibitors, and many youth, parents and other non-senior adult participants. We served 735 healthy meals to attendees. We had over 450 walkers participate in the Walk-a-Thon and most of them completed the entire three miles around Lake Merritt. Kudos to the 89-year-old woman who completed the entire walk --- talk about healthy living!

We kicked off a wonderful event aimed at promoting healthy living on many levels and in many disciplines. The HLF was the culminating mark for the USOAC-WN4S Project, placing it on the map of outstanding older adult oriented efforts and accomplishments. The HLF is by far the largest action that United Seniors has organized.  The potential for mobilizing and engaging older adults in efforts surrounding pedestrian safety and infrastructure, physical activity promotion, senior injury prevention and balanced health are incredible. This year we are planning for a larger turnout.