HARRISBURG – Issues of affordable and accessible healthy eating and recreational opportunities in southcentral Pennsylvania will be the topic of the “Go Local for Health Summit” to be held Sept. 18 at the Gettysburg Hotel.
The summit will feature a lecture by Gina Calhoun of the Copeland Center in Vermont at 8:30 a.m., as part of the South Mountain Speakers Series. Registration is required for this free event and starts at 8 a.m.
“A comprehensive approach is needed to address the rising rates of chronic diseases and related risk factors in our region,” said Kim Williams, environmental planner with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and lead of the South Mountain Partnership. “Summit attendees will be educated on current community efforts and national best practices, and participate in planning dialogues about promoting health regionally.”
The South Mountain Partnership was sparked by DCNR’s Conservation Landscape Initiative, an effort to engage communities, local partners, state agencies and funding opportunities to conserve the high-quality natural and cultural resources while enhancing the region’s economic viability.
The event at the hotel at One Lincoln Square will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will kick off with the lecture by Calhoun on the link between mental health and healthy eating, exercise and access to the outdoors. Lunch and a continental breakfast will be provided during the summit.
Registration for the summit or the lecture may be completed online.
“Go Local for Health” is sponsored by Healthy Adams County, DCNR, Wellspan Health, Gettysburg Hospital Foundation; Healthy York County Coalition; Carlisle Health and Wellness Foundation; MACWell and the South Mountain Partnership.
This is the third year for the South Mountain Speakers Series, envisioned as a revival of the talks given by Joseph Rothrock in the late 19th century as part of his work to preserve and restore Pennsylvania’s forests and natural landscape.
The series will continue with “From Springs to Sprinklers” with Department of Environmental Protection Senior Geologist Patrick Bowling as keynote speaker on Nov. 8 at Shippensburg University Memorial Auditorium. Bowling will discuss ground and surface water challenges in the South Mountain region.
For more information about the speaker series, visit or call the Appalachian Trail Conservancy at 717-258-5771.
Some of the earlier lectures in the speaker series can now be found on Youtube.