To the Editor:

Grace Cottage Hospital would like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped make the third annual “Spring Into Health” Community Health Fair such a wonderful success on Saturday, May 15.

The day began with our first-ever “Spring Into Health” 5K run, with 85 runners participating. During the health fair, a wide variety of health, safety, and social service organizations shared valuable information with more than 400 attendees, and with the listening audience as WTSA’s Tim Johnson broadcast live from the event.

Everyone loved seeing the Dartmouth-Hitchcock emergency response DHART helicopter, and the ever-popular Vermont National Guard’s inflatable obstacle course challenged those who dared. We had safety demonstrations from Rescue Inc., the Windham County Sheriff’s Department, and the US Army Corps of Engineers (Ball Mountain and Townshend dams). The NewBrook Fire Department Auxiliary served a great lunch, and Leland & Gray’s Project Graduation made delicious smoothies.

This event would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship of the Windham Foundation, The Richards Group, Chittenden Bank, Howard Printing, the Brattleboro Reformer, and Valley Cares. Thank you to Leader Beverage, who provided free water for the event. Thanks also to the many community members who volunteered their time. And thanks to C.J. King for planning and organizing such a phenomenal event. Many thanks to them all.

Many organizations shared information about outdoor safety, healthy eating, stress relief, caring for the elderly, keeping kids safe, washing your hands, staying limber, stopping smoking, and more. Thanks to all of them for participating.

Save Saturday, May 14, 2011, for the next “Spring Into Health” 5K and Community Health Fair. See you there!

Sincerely,

Mick Brant

Grace Cottage Hospital CEO

Townshend