Two years ago, my administration launched the Cherry Hill Mayor’s Wellness Campaign with one goal in mind: to improve the health and wellness of our residents by creating an atmosphere that encourages active living and healthy lifestyles.
Last week, the fruits of those efforts were rewarded with some wonderful news. Cherry Hill has been designated as a “Healthy Town” by the Mayors Wellness Campaign — the top designation given to municipalities every year by the statewide organization that helps New Jersey communities to launch their own wellness programs.
Cherry Hill was one of just two towns to receive the honor this year, joining Tenafly as the 16th and 17th Healthy Towns selected since 2007. And we are the only town in South Jersey to ever receive the designation.
This is tremendously exciting news, for a number of reasons — but mainly because it shows that we are making a difference in our community.
Thousands of residents have embraced the Mayor’s Wellness message: that a healthy lifestyle does not have to be complicated; that living well can be achieved by taking small steps and making simple changes in your lifestyle. And, most importantly, that being active can be fun.
When we first launched the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign in 2012, we started small, challenging residents and businesses to “Take the Pledge” to know their numbers, get active and incorporate healthy habits into their lives. We felt it was important that our programs appealed to a variety of demographics, and that those programs were either free or low-cost to attend.
In the years since, we’ve expanded the program to include new events developed specifically for our Wellness Campaign, including our monthly Walks with the Mayor at Cherry Hill Mall, healthy cooking classes, Girls on the Run at the JCC and last year’s Mayor’s Wellness Day at Springdale Farm. And we’ve begun working with dozens of businesses who’ve joined us as Wellness Partners, to promote the healthy programs that they have already created within our community.
Today, the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign truly offers something for everyone, from dance and fitness classes and organized sports for children, to yoga, Zumba and line dancing for seniors.
As part of our Healthy Town designation, Cherry Hill will be presented with a special sign and banner, which I look forward to proudly displaying once they are received.
In announcing the designation, the Mayors Wellness Campaign cited our community’s strong support of the program and the tremendous level of participation and enthusiasm we’ve seen from our residents.
I want to thank you for that support, and at the same time, encourage anyone who has not yet taken the pledge to learn more about the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign, and explore the variety of programs we now offer.
Registration is happening now for spring activities, and summer event listings will be available in May at reconline.cherryhill-nj.com/.
Stay in touch with the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign by following “Cherry Hill Mayor’s Wellness Campaign” on Facebook, where you’ll find events, activities and photos, as well as fitness tips and healthy recipes from our Wellness Partners.
Visit the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign page at www.CherryHill-NJ.com for additional information.
To stay up-to-date on upcoming events and activities through Cherry Hill and our Wellness Partners, sign up for Mayor’s Wellness e-mail alerts through the “Notify Me” section of the Township’s website.
For additional information, call 488–7868, or email MWC@chtownship.com.
I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished through the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign in its first two years. But I believe there’s always room for improvement.
As we move forward, we will continue looking for ways to enhance our programming, and find new, exciting and innovative ways to keep our residents on the healthy track — and I look forward to sharing more about our progress with all of our residents in the weeks and months to come.
