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 The Community Approach to Child Health (CATCH)
program is sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
Community Health Collaborative. The goal is to encourage children,
still at a young age, to live a healthier lifestyle by choosing
wisely in what they eat and drink, avoiding unhealthy habits, and
staying active.
The program is led by Angie Whiteman, often known as the “CATCH
Lady.” Whiteman noted during the Fun Run that while she is the CATCH
lady – it is the individual schools with their full staff who make
the program successful. Whiteman noted that the CATCH program
provides a curriculum, but it is the individual teachers who commit
to working the CATCH program into their lesson plans, and do the
food demonstrations and encourage children to practice a healthy
lifestyle including physical activity. She gave big kudos to the
schools that are dedicated to helping our children in this manner.
She said that the CATCH program involves all the faculty from bus
drivers to custodial to the teachers, school nurse and the
principal.
Whiteman said there are 14 schools participating in
CATCH this year, and at each school there is a lead team made up of
a lead teacher, the school nurse, physical education teacher,
cafeteria staff, and a parent leader. At Illini Central that team is
Laurie Leslie, Sara Erlandson, Tammy Martin, Tonya Harris and Trisha
Bergman.
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The Fun Run at Illini Central took place on the
school track with several dozen kids participating along with
teachers and others. The CATCH program and ALMH provided each
student with a race bib, sunglasses, and bottled water.
In all, it was a fun day for the kids, some of whom
very much enjoyed hamming it up for the camera as they made their
laps.
The kids and teachers also joined together for a large group
picture, documenting everyone’s commitment to the program.
[Nila Smith & Mitch Douglas] |
