‘Putting prevention to work’

LIHU‘E — Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had an opportunity Tuesday to join county workers and residents in the Mayor’s Walking Workbus.

Bev Brody, the Get Fit Kaua‘i island coordinator, said the Kaua‘i District Health Office hosted a “Communities Putting Prevention to Work” site visit with the federal representatives.

The entourage, which included state Rep. Mina Morita and Kaua‘i Path’s Thomas Noyes, joined Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. in his weekly walk from the Mo‘ikeha Building along Rice Street to Ho‘olako Street and returning to the rotunda.

The Workbus is a collaboration between the county, Get Fit Kaua‘i, the American Cancer Society and the state Department of Health. In operation since June, it is part of a project on worksite wellness.

Brody said the CDC awarded $3.4 million to Kaua‘i and Maui last March to help with programs such as the Workbus which will continue each Tuesday through the end of August.

Another project supported in part by Communities Putting Prevention to Work is the Safer Routes to School project coordinated by the Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition of Kaua‘i County, more commonly known as Get Fit Kaua‘i’s Safe Routes to School Task Force.

Get Fit Kaua‘i will host its first Walk to School Day and Walking School Bus of the 2010-2011 school year on Sept. 29.

Brody is hopeful all Kaua‘i schools will participate in the kickoff event to demonstrate to policy-makers the importance of Safer Routes to School for Kaua‘i’s keiki.

During an Aug. 10 meeting with the County of Kaua‘i Public Works Department, county officials and Get Fit Kaua‘i representatives participated in a walk-about, touring Kapa‘a Elementary School, St. Catherine’s School and the Kapa‘a High School to address the changes needing to be accomplished to “calm” traffic in the educational corridor and create safer ways for children to walk, or bike to school.

These issues included re-striping and re-painting crosswalks, improved signage and improved sign visibility with the addition of flashing warning lights.

Providing safer routes for keiki to walk and bike to school is of increasing importance due to the recent cutbacks in transportation funds by the education department, states a release from Get Fit Kaua‘i.

In a recent assessment of Kapa‘a Elementary School, it was discovered that approximately 80 percent of the students are driven to school, 17 percent are bussed or car-pooled, and just three percent walk or bike.

With more bus service being cut back, more students will be driven to school adding to the traffic in and around the school area. This will result in decreased safety for keiki and increased amount of air pollution.

The assessment further noted that only 25 percent of young people get the recommended amount of daily activity. This lack of physical activity contributes to a risk increase of obesity and chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, a factor brought out during the recent Summer Bash hosted by the Kaua‘i Diabetes Today.

Get Fit Kaua‘i believes that in order to get more keiki walking and biking to school, an increase in healthy physical activity, the routes to school need to be safer.

During the meeting, Get Fit Kaua‘i formed a partnership with the county’s Public Works Department and gained support from the Kaua‘i Police Department to ensure a safer route to Kapa‘a Elementary School.

“The partnership and support of the Public Works Department is a big step to increasing visibility of the school zones on the island, and the Kaua‘i Police Department will show its support by helping to enforce the school zone speed limits,” Brody said. “It’s so exciting — things are really going to happen to make it safer for kids to walk, or bike to school.”

The project is supported in part by Communities Putting Prevention to Work — Hawai‘i, improving healthy eating and health activities, creating jobs, and promoting sustainability on Kaua‘i and Maui.

• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.