Healthy Fun and Fitness Guide Published by Winter Park Health Foundation

The Healthy Fun and Fitness Guide to Winter Park, published by the Winter Park Health Foundation in an effort to inspire residents and visitors to become more active, has just been released and is available free of charge at the Winter Park Welcome Center, 151 W. Lyman Ave., Winter Park.

The guide points out biking and walking trails, as well as parks with a variety of fitness options. It identifies places to swim, boat, run, walk and play with the dogs.  And it includes a map showing the location of most area parks and their features.

It’s Back: The Third Annual Fast Start Track and Field Invitational

The third annual Fast Start Track and Field Invitational will be held January 26, 2008 at Showalter Field in Winter Park.

Launched by Scott Millson, a local elementary school parent, the free event is open to all elementary school students attending schools in the Winter Park Consortium of Schools–Aloma, Audubon Park, Brookshire, Cheney, Dommerich, Hungerford, Lake Sybelia and Lakemont elementary schools.

Students will receive applications at school in the near future. For more information, contact Millson at 407-466-8036 or skmillson@cfl.rr.com.

Orange County Health Department Offers Free Flu Shots

With the flu season just around the corner, the Orange County Health Department (OCHD) is getting ready to offer free flu shots at four outreach events over the next month. It has been going out to the community to encourage the elderly and others at high risk of complications from influenza to get a flu shot.  The high risk category includes children six months to five years old.

Shots will be offered on a first come, first served basis.  Sessions will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  November 16 at the Capehart Community Center; from 9 a.m. to noon  on November 28 at the Denton Johnson Community Center in Eatonville; from 9 a.m. to noon December 5 at the Pine Hills Community Center, and from 9 a.m. to noon on December 12 at the Bithlo Community Center.

Click here for more information.

Working Adolescents More Likely Than Non-Working Peers to Smoke

Working for pay during the school year is positively associated with the likelihood of tobacco use among adolescents, according to a release from the American Public Health Association.

The study involved 799 adolescents who were followed since first grade.  Tenth graders who worked more than 10 hours a week on average (high intensity) were three times more likely to report current use of tobacco than were non-workers.  Surprisingly, students who worked moderately (less than 10 hours a week) tended to initiate tobacco use later than did non-workers and high-intensity workers.

Click here to read the complete release from the American Public Health Association.