Master Wellness program to begin
In the United States, 86 percent of all health spending is related to chronic conditions – things like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and many others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these costs can be managed and potentially reduced through education and lifestyle modification.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Van Zandt County is seeking participants for its Master Wellness Volunteer Program. Master Wellness Volunteers undergo 40 hours of training on health, nutrition and food safety and are then empowered to provide outreach and education, helping reduce the burden of chronic conditions in Texans and Texas’ communities. Not a health professional? Not a problem! We welcome participation from anyone interested in promoting health and wellness: college students, employees, retirees – anyone!
Opportunities to serve are wide-ranging: giving presentations for local community groups, assisting with healthy cooking demonstrations, participating in health fairs and much more. Because each community is different, MWVs work with the County Extension Agent and other stakeholders to identify needs and opportunities to help make a local difference. Because MWVs come from diverse backgrounds, they’re often able to identify novel topics, audiences and resources in the area.
On Jan. 22, 2019, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will convene a statewide training for Master Wellness Volunteers…and you don’t even have to leave your county. Two in-person sessions will be held at your local county Extension office; the rest of the training will be conducted online. It’s never been easier to give back to your community!
For more information about the Master Wellness Volunteer Program, visit http://agrilife.org/mwv For more information regarding the statewide training, send an email to mwv@ag.tamu.edu with your contact information and the county in which you live. We’ll connect you with the County Extension Agent in your county to provide more details about the training. You may also contact Melisa Rhodes, County Extension Agent for Van Zandt County at 903-567-4149 or email her at melisa.rhodes@ag.tamu.edu
