Let’s Go! recognizes 48 sites in Franklin County for increasing healthy choices

FARMINGTON – Let’s Go! recently announced that 17 schools, 13 school cafeterias, 8 out-of-school programs, 16 child care programs, and 7 health care practices in Franklin County are being recognized for their positive impact on children’s health. A total of 48 sites are proactively implementing Let’s Go!’s evidence-based strategies with the goal of increasing daily healthy habits. Let’s Go! Franklin County presented sites with recognition certificates on Nov. 8 at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

Let’s Go! sites are instilling a positive relationship with food and an enthusiasm for healthy choices—100 percent of Franklin County’s Let’s Go! Child care and out-of-school care sites provide opportunities to be active every day and limit sugary drinks and more than half of Let’s Go! sites in the county are limiting unhealthy foods, limiting recreational screen time, and prohibiting use of food as a reward.

“Our partners work hard, each and every day, to make sure the kids in their care make healthy choices and understand why those choices matter,” said Victoria Rogers, M.D., senior director of the Let’s Go! program. “We believe healthy habits make happy kids and that’s why we’re dedicated to decreasing childhood obesity one healthy choice at a time.”

Gold Recognition: Strong Elementary School, Fit Girls of Wilton Maine, Phillips Elementary School, Sweatt-Winter Early Care and Education Center, Tamarack Tree House Child Care, Jeannie’s Jungle Childcare, Rangeley Lakes Regional School Cafeteria, and Spruce Mountain High School Cafeteria

Silver Recognition: Tiny Tikes Child Care, RSU 9 Elementary Schools, Kineowatha Park, Western Maine Center for Children, Maine Mountain Children’s House, Jay Early Learning Center, Farmington Early Head Start, Stratton School Everybody Let’s Go!, Rangeley Fitness Center, Spruce Mountain Elementary School Cafeteria, Spruce Mountain Middle School Cafeteria, Spruce Mountain Primary School Cafeteria, Academy Hill School Cafeteria, Cape Cod Hill Elementary School Cafeteria, Cascade Brook School Cafeteria, Gerald D. Cushing School Cafeteria, Mt. Blue High School Cafeteria, Mt. Blue Middle School Cafeteria, W.G. Mallett School Cafeteria, and Stratton Elementary School Cafeteria

Bronze Recognition: JOY.ful.LEE Growing Child Care, Wilton ELC Community Concepts, Gerald D. Cushing School, 21st Century Kids of Franklin Summer and After School Enrichment (RSU 9 K-5 elementary students), W. G. Mallett School, Mt. Blue Middle School, UMF Fitness and Recreation Center, Antigravity Complex, Town Park-Day Camp, and Stratton Elementary School

Healthcare Sites Implementing Let’s Go!: Farmington Family Practice, Franklin Health Livermore Falls Family Practice, Franklin Health Pediatrics, Mt. Abram Regional Health Center, Rangeley Family Medicine, Strong Area Health Center, and Western Maine Family Health Center.

Introduced in 2012, the Let’s Go! recognition program identifies and celebrates schools, out-of-school programs, child care programs and health care practices for their role in improving the health of all children. The program focuses on sustainable change. A Bronze award reflects a site implementing the program’s five, evidence-based priority strategies. Silver acknowledges a site that has communicated these changes to parents and family members. Gold, the highest level of recognition, is reserved for sites that have written all five priority strategies into policy.

To learn more about Let’s Go! or to become a Let’s Go! participation site, contact Corey Dowe, Program and Planning Coordinator at (207) 779-2925 or visit https://mainehealth.org/lets-go.