Forum A Success! - 2/20/2008

The North Vallejo Health Collaborative held a wildly successful community forum and celebration at Elsa Widenmann School on Jan. 26. More than 250 people attended this event which included a variety of activities for children and adults to promote a healthy lifestyle.

The forum was to gather input on priorities for the Healthy Start grant and for the North Vallejo Community Health Center which will be located at Elsa Widenmann School in the fall.

Elsa Widenmann student Kelby Yelder was honored for her role in saving her family from a disastrous house fire. Thanks to Mayor Osby Davis, Fire Chief Russ Sherman and his crew of Vallejo firefighters, and VCUSD Superintendent Mary Bull for being present to honor Kelby.

One highlight was that I accepted a major financial contribution from the Solano Community Foundation to complete the funding for the North Vallejo Health Clinic. The vision of putting a Health Center in every school in Vallejo has been the brainchild of the Vallejo Student Health Services Coordinator, Vanita Finney and her staff.

Our thanks go out to all North Vallejo Health Collaborative members for all the time, energy and resources contributed for this day. We are grateful to: Vanita Finney and the VCUSD Student Health Services Dept. staff; Glen Price of the Glen Price Group; Marie Young and the Solano County Chapter of Links Inc., and the whole Links crew; Dr. James Foy and the Touro University volunteers; Daniel Lamons for organizing, bringing in the Youth Partnership; Deanna Niebuhr for organizing refreshments; Deloris Doster's class for the poem of affirmation; Laura Moreira's class for a beautiful rap presentation; wonderfully facilitated by Gordon; the Junior Safety Patrol performing under the leadership of Sara Sanchez; Stephanie Wolf and the Solano Community Foundation; Christina Arrostuto; Lynn Guest and First 5 for the "dot" posters and videography; Babies First; Black Infant Health; Children's Network of Solano County; Fighting Back Partnership; Kappa Beta Omega Chapter; La Clinica; Pharmacy Assistance Program; Planned Parenthood; Solano Coalition for Better Health; Solano Community Foundation; Solano County Health and Social Services; Solano Kids Insurance Program; John Williams and Aimee Durfee of United Way of the Bay Area for a ton of great organizing and contribution to the costs of the event; Dr. Tam Stevenson for the insights behind the student presentation and program organization; and to the teachers, staff, families and students of Elsa Widenmann School.

MaBella Gonzales, Principal, Elsa Widenmann School