Get Up Go

Welcome to our News and Announcements page! We're excited about what's happening with the Get Up & Go Campaign and we want to tell you all about it. Check here daily for the latest news, announcements and events. (Click for more about our Campaign)
Get Up & Go Kickoff Event set for Saturday March 29th, 2:00pm at the SWIC Belleville Campus! Illinois Distributing Donates Signs,Banner for Campaign County Board Chairman Proclaims April 2008 Get Up & Go Month!
Medical Alliance Gives $1,000 to Get Up & Go! The St. Clair County Medical Society Alliance has given the Get Up & Go Campaign a grant of $1,000 to help "spread the word" for healthy and active lifestyles in St. Clair County. Jen DeJong, Vice President Elect of the Alliance was on hand at the March 19th Get Up & Go planning meeting and presented Rita Arras and Mark Peters, co-directors of the campaign, with the check. "We are very excited about all the momentum that this campaign is generating," stated DeJong "and want to do anything we can to help get the word out and encourage healthy, active lifestyles. The planning group thanked the Alliance for the grant and noted that the money came at a perfect time to help promote the many activities that are being organized by member groups and the Campaign's own kickoff event this Saturday at the SWIC campus in Belleville. Over twenty-five groups have already joined the campaign and several hundred people are expected to be on hand this Saturday for official kickoff at SWIC. The St. Clair County Medical Society Alliance works hard to support many healthcare projects throughout the county and the Get Up & Go Campaign is honored to have their help. You can find out more about the Alliance at www.stclairmed.org (Pictured left to right are: Kevin Hutchinson, Executive Director St. Clair County Health Department, Kathleen Thimson MSN, SIUE School of Nursing, Jen DeJong, St. Clair County Medical Society Alliance, Rita Arras RN PhD, SIUE School of Nursing and Mark Peters, Associate Director St. Clair County Health Department)
Get Up & Go Kickoff Event set for Saturday March 29th, 2:00pm at SWIC Belleville Campus The Get Up & Go Campaign will officially "Kickoff" this Saturday from 2-4pm at the Belleville Campus of SWIC. Everyone is encouraged to attend. This event will include free health screenings provided by the Health Department and the SIUE School of Nursing, information booths on upcoming health and fitness activities and groups, demonstrations, a 1 mile walk along the Dr. Tom Amlung Nature Trail and a chance to chat with two time World Champion and Olympic distance runner Craig Virgin. People are encouraged to bring their families, friends, even their dogs, and enjoy a few hours of fun, health and fitness at this community event. The first 100 participants to sign-in for the walk will receive free T-shirts and there will be free refreshments and promotional items available for all. A healthy lifestyle begins with the first step. Join Craig and the St. Clair community this Saturday and let's GET UP & GO!	Craig Virgin, 2 time World Champion and 3 time Olympic distance runner will be at SWIC Saturday to chat and sign autographs. A 1-mile walk will take place along the Dr. Tom Amlung Nature Trail.
Illinois Distributing Donates Signs and Banner to Campaign
Illinois Distributing of Belleville, distributor of 180 Energy Drink, is helping the Get Up & Go Campaign get the word out with its donation of signs and banners for the effort. Rita Arras announced the donation at the last planning meeting and everyone on the campaign offers their thanks to Illinois Distributing. "Our hope is to put banners and signs in every community of St. Clair County in April," said Arras during the meeting. "This great example of corporate citizenship will help make that possible." Co-Director Mark Peters added, "The theme of this campaign is connected communities. That means not only government, but people, schools, churches and businesses. A healthy community benefits everyone and everyone needs to be involved. Contributions like this help us to build those connections." Click here to find out more about Illinois Distributing.	County Board Chairman, Mark Kern, Proclaims April "Get Up & Go Month!" Well it's official, April is now "Get Up & Go Month". Mark Kern, using his executive power as County Board Chairman has made it so. Citing the increased death and illness rates in St. Clair County from heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions and their relationship to stress, diet, obesity and lack of exercise, the county is officially promoting this campaign for health and fitness. You can read the full Proclamation here. Several of the cities and villages in St. Clair County have already indicated that they intend to issue similar proclamations and actively support both the Get Up & Go Campaign and its goal of Connected, Healthy and Active Communities. We congratulate them all and in the next few days we will be publishing their stories on this website.