Guest Blogger: Erin Bennett, Idaho Government Relations Director
The legislative session will wrap up any day but we are happy to announce the Governor signed the appropriations bill for the Millennium Fund, with $4.7 million dedicated to tobacco prevention, cessation, and treatment. That is an increase of over $1.5 million from last year’s funding. During session we were also able to discuss with Legislators the importance of physical education and nutrition in schools, and will work during the interim with Legislators, the Department of Education, and other organizations to improve the health of all Idaho students.
Another big spring event for the American Heart Association is our annual Heart and Stroke Walk. We are in the middle of preparations for the walk, which will take place on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at Julia Davis Park in Boise. We have a number of teams signed up but it’s not too late to register if you are interested in participating in this great event. We are excited to have people join us at this free community event promoting heart health.
Make sure to swing by the Advocacy booth to learn more about what we will be working on in the upcoming months. We will be spreading the word on our efforts to help cities go smoke free, helping eliminate the harms of second hand smoke on workers throughout Idaho. We will also be educating people on the high amount of sodium in most of our diets and how it effects our heart health. Be sure to sign the sodium pledge and commit to reducing your sodium intake in an effort to love your heart.
I encourage you to join us for the Heart Walk, gather your own team, or join a friend’s and register here: Boise Heart Walk. Stop by our booth and learn about all the exciting things we’ll be doing over the next few months to advocate for the health of all Idahoans.
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