The Putnam on Wellness Coalition of Regional Family Resource Network orchestrated an evening of oral hygiene education, outreach and family fun for 1,572 Putnam County attendees recently at Waves of Fun.
Participants lined the sidewalk around the facility as the evening began. The first 300 residents through the door received a coupon for a free $1 snack as additional thanks for attending the event.
Three half-hour oral health presentations were conducted by Oral Health Educator Annette Gaskins, RDH. Each participant who attended a presentation received a free dental hygiene kit and a tie-dyed T-shirt displaying the campaign logo "I Have a Smart Mouth."
Additional oral health information and free toothbrushes were provided by Denise Foster and students of the Putnam Career and Technical Center Dental Assisting Program.
Additional information stations were set up in the concession area, displaying take-home information on tobacco prevention and cessation, oral health and teen wellness. The West Virginia National Guard Drug Demand Reduction program was present for the event with their rock climbing wall in an effort to promote healthy activity and encourage youth to prevent drug use.
Regional Family Resource Network extended thanks to the Putnam County Parks and Recreation and the staff at Waves of Fun for making the event a success. Additional thanks were offered to the organizations that comprise the Putnam on Wellness team:
- INSPIRE of Prestera Center
- Putnam County Schools Drug Prevention & Education
- Putnam County Volunteers
- United Way of Central WV Adolescent Health Initiative
- Wellness Council of West Virginia
- W.Va. Comprehensive Cancer Prevention Program
- W.Va. DHHR Putnam District
- W.Va. National Guard Drug Demand Reduction
- W.Va. Prevention Resource Center.
Admission to the event was free to all attendants, thanks to funding through Valley Health by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, an organization focused on raising awareness about the importance of oral health.
In addition to the Oral Health grant, a Tobacco Prevention grant provided the "Truth and Dare Challenge," an evening event held at each county middle school between Feb. 19 and April 2. The Truth and Dare Challenge featured student and family prevention activities and take-home prevention materials for students and parents. The Tobacco Prevention grant was provided by The West Virginia Division of Tobacco Prevention Clean Indoor Air Program operating under the Department of Health and Human Resources and the Bureau for Public Health.