By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
Yukon has earned some annual “bragging rights” as a healthy community.
The City of Yukon recently was awarded a certificate of excellence through the Certified Oklahoma Healthy Program, a program honoring those who promote healthy lifestyles and improving individual health.
Sharing the good news with Yukon city officials and citizens was Heather Ward, health educator for the Canadian County Health Department.
This honor demonstrates “how healthy our city is compared to other cities in the state,” said Ward, a Yukon resident.
Yukon City Manager Tammy Kretchmar accepted the award during the Aug. 3rd Yukon City Council meeting inside the Centennial Building, 12 S 5th.
Communities, businesses, schools, colleges, churches, restaurants, and early childhood programs across Oklahoma are eligible to apply for the Certified Oklahoma Healthy Program through a free, voluntary statewide certification process.
The City of Yukon in recent years has annually been awarded excellence status, Ward added.
“We’re really proud to have Yukon as a ‘Certified Healthy City’,” she said.
COMMITMENT TO HEALTHY CHOICES
Award recipients like Yukon are recognized for their commitment to supporting healthy choices through environmental and policy change.
“These entities are working to improve the health of Oklahomans by implementing elements, policies, and programs that will help Oklahomans eat better, move more, and be tobacco free,” according to the program’s website.
“Certified Healthy recipients are recognized as leaders in their communities for going ‘above and beyond’ to make health and wellness a priority.
The Certified Healthy Oklahoma Program was created in 2003 to recognize businesses that promote health and wellness for their employees.
Promotion of health and wellness can be done in a variety of ways, including passing policies that encourage healthy lifestyles and making facilities available for physical activities.
The City of Yukon has enacted tobacco-free policies for public buildings and built recreation facilities and multi-use trails to encourage healthy living.
