Clifton Named New Jersey “Healthy Town”

Clifton, New Jersey – The City of Clifton and its Mayor James Anzaldi today were honored by the Mayors Wellness Campaign as only the third community in the state to receive designation as a “New Jersey Healthy Town.” Clifton received the designation for its strong and active participation in the Mayors Wellness Campaign.

 

“We are delighted to recognize the efforts of Mayor Anzaldi and Clifton to promote active living and healthy lifestyles through the Mayors Wellness Campaign,” said Judy Doyle, Mayors Wellness Campaign Director. “Our statewide effort, which now involves more than 250 New Jersey towns, is beginning to pay dividends.”

 

“Putting our community in motion towards better health is one of our top priorities in Clifton,” said Mayor James Anzaldi, as he accepted the designation. “This recognition speaks volumes about our community’s commitment to better health.”

 

The City of Clifton received the “Healthy Town” designation for meeting the following:

The Mayors Wellness Campaign’s new “Healthy Town” designation is being funded by a $100,000 grant from the Aetna Foundation. 

 

“Aetna is thrilled to play a role in this new effort to promote active living and healthy lifestyles in New Jersey,” said Patrick Young, President, Aetna Small and Middle Markets. “We hope to make a real difference in the everyday lives of New Jersey residents.”

 

The City of Clifton has instituted wellness programs in the following categories:

 

 

Safety Town – Safety Town is a hands-on learning adventure for 5 & 6 year-olds to practice life-saving safety rules. The 10-day curriculum includes a miniature town, roads, traffic signs and railroad crossings, so children can practice supervised simulated traffic situations.

Fit Teen Weight & Fitness Camp – The Miss FIT Teen and Mr. FIT Teen programs are week-long camps that help teens (ages 12-17) have fun, jump start their metabolism, improve muscle tone, improve sports performance and confidence, and make new friends. Participants receive a daily snack, water bottle, nutrition training, and at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day during the camp.     

Mrs. Fitness Kids Camp – Participants (ages 8-12) are taught nutrition, exercise skills, and how to prepare snacks/meals. Each participant receives a daily snack, water bottle, nutrition training, and a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity. Mrs. Fitness is an accredited clinical nutritionist at Physicians Optimal Health Center.

 

Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program – The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program is an exercise program designed specifically for people with arthritis that uses gentle activities to help increase joint flexibility and range of motion and help maintain muscle strength. Different classes are available to fit every fitness level – with exercises done while sitting, standing, or on the floor.

 

 

Active for Life – The City of Clifton just completed year three of its Active for Life employee wellness program, with the biggest employee turnout ever. Active for Life, developed by the American Cancer Society, is a worksite wellness program that encourages employees to be physically active. A total of 95 employees registered for the program, with 84 employees completing the 10-week challenge. The Active for Life program was made possible by a grant awarded by the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services.

 

 

Walking Club – Under the direction of the Recreation Supervisor, the Clifton Walking Club meets every week for Walk & Talk Thursdays (weather permitting). There are several walking routes that have been mapped out for Walking Club members and one is chosen each week for the group walk. Each walking club member receives a water bottle, safety tips, and a safety vest. Participants record the distance they walk each time they exercise and report results back to the Recreation Department. Awards are issued for various achievements. Walking maps identifying the various walking paths throughout the City are also available to anyone interested.

Health Walk/5K Run – The Clifton Walking Club sponsors this annual city-wide event and participates in local fundraising walk-a-thons.   The City of Clifton also sponsors an employee Walk At Work Day each year to kick-off the Active For Life employee wellness program. 

 

The Mayors Wellness Campaign is an initiative of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute (www.njhcqi.org) in partnership with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities (www.njslom.org). The MWC supports mayors as champions of community health. The goal is to increase opportunities for New Jersey residents to participate in daily physical activity with a long-term goal of reducing health care costs secondary to obesity. Through public-private partnerships, the MWC provides structure and resources for healthy community initiatives. By encouraging mayors to play a leadership role in supporting local opportunities for active, healthy lifestyles, the intent of the MWC is to improve health and make New Jersey a national leader in community-based health interventions. In 2006, each of the 566 mayors in New Jersey’s municipalities were mailed the MWC “Toolbox,” a manual designed to guide them through the implementation of wellness programs in their communities.  Broken down into four major sections – Youth in Motion; Employees in Motion; Seniors in Motion; and Communities in Motion – the Toolbox outlines programs that can be directly used in every community in New Jersey. The Toolbox can also be found on the MWC website at www.mayorswellnesscampaign.org.