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CHAPTER 7: Planning and Delivery
of Public Health Events CHAPTER 7 Appendices
The Role and Importance of Media Events We bought advertising. We bought advertising just like the big boys. Advertising sells Chryslers. Advertising sells Big Macs. Advertising sells 1% and skim milk. And we have found that advertising sells walking. The paid ads, however, are supplemented with media events that you will plan for the campaign. The purpose of the media events is to further to draw attention to your message--the message in the ads--moderate intensity walking, 30 minutes, almost every day. The media events involve many community sectors and provide a special means for you to give other important media outlets in the community--TV, radio, and newspaper reporters, talk show hosts, special feature planners, etc.--an opportunity to be involved with the campaign by giving them specific events to cover. The events communicate the same message but in a different way and thus reach other/additional sectors of their audience. NOTE
-Events that can be easily covered by the local media provide free advertising for the campaign and hopefully more participants. -The type and number of public health events in a campaign depends primarily on: -No single event is appropriate for every community. Therefore, be creative and develop events that appeal to your specific community.
Choosing Events You should have one media event a week. This can be a press conference, a walk, an event, a speaker, an information program, an opening of a trail, an announcement, or a guest. What ever is planned, be sure it is planned for the camera. This is where the WHEELING WALKS model deviates from traditional programming. Events should be chosen for their ability to bring a TV camera. The TV camera normally will give you 15-20 minutes at your event, which, if you are lucky, will be 1- 2 minutes on the newscast. In addition, where TV cameras go, radio stations and newspapers tend to follow. During the 2001 campaign in Wheeling, we exceeded our own expectations with earned media (press coverage at events that end up reported in the media) and received tremendous exposure of our activities and events. Because the media is with you at your event for a small amount of time, the events you choose should be:
Some might call this “playing to the camera”. However, “playing to the camera”--getting your message to local citizens--is important to the success of your campaign.
Tips for Planning an Event Suitable for Media CoverageA fun-filled lively program is the premise for a great press event.
In the traditional approach, the success of most health promotion events is evaluated without consideration of media coverage. In other words, the amount of media coverage is a by-product of an event, not a direct programmatic element. Traditionally, the length of the event is less important. However, with a media campaign, the dynamic is to enhance the amount of media the event will get. This is because the media coverage is a greater community influence than the event itself. Media coverage gives the campaign credibility and prestige and creates a “buzz” in the community. The more people see and hear about the campaign, the more likely they are to want to find out more about it, and to ultimately get involved. TopPlanning the Public Health Events Events must be accessible, safe and enjoyable. Modern life has made it easy to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, your public walking events must provide opportunities for beginners, groups, and media coverage. Walking events provide social support, an opportunity to enhance personal walking skill (tips can be distributed on such topics as “How to Walk Better” and “Avoiding Injury”), and a wonderful target for a photographer or TV cameras.
Make events convenient for media coverage. Events that can be easily covered by the local media will provide free advertising for the campaign and hopefully more participants. The type and number of public health events in a campaign depends primarily on:
No single event is appropriate for every community. Therefore, be creative and develop events that appeal to your specific community. TopInvolving Many Community Sectors Among the groups you will want to involve in Campaign events are:
2. Celebrities 3. Physicians (additional details in Chapter 9) 4. Churches/Faith-based Organizations (additional details in Chapter 11) 5. Medical facilities 6. Walking/Trail Clubs 7. Malls 8. Families / Intergenerational activities The following pages provide detail of what was involved in planning and implementing activities involving these groups. Both activity description and actual documents that we developed and used are included. Reviewing these, it is clear that the events routinely involves the following key elements: 1. Meticulous attention to the details of time and place (confirmed in writing in advance).
-advanced planning alone will account for much of the success of the event. 2. Helpers--recruit volunteers for each specific event (see Chapter 6). 3. Plans for making it a merry event. 4. Specific written invitations. 5. A specific written agenda for the event to share with all involved so they can:
b. fully feel they a part of the event / make it their own / share responsibility for its success 6. An advance press release 7. A press packet for each event --to be distributed both in
advance and on the spot --to press and important folks that 8. Enthusiastic coordination of the event. 9. If speaker is involved, brief them before the event and do
all you can to make things easy for her/him. (Be sure they 10. “Thank you” notes to any and all following the event. Again, be creative, utilize community resources, and above all, make it fun for all (even though it is mighty hard work for the coordinator) TopCampaign Coordinator’s MEETINGS / EVENTS TOOL KIT As noted in Chapter 6, this is a packet of items that an event coordinator will need to have with them at any and all events. Having these items together in one place ensures that the needed information is collected at each event and that s/he can attend to the task at hand rather than having to scramble around at the last minute to take care of some important detail.
As provided in Appendix 6-c, the Coordinator’s EVENTS TOOL KIT includes the following:
-Campaign Information Sheet -Your business card (Appendix 6-a). -Guest Sign-In Sheet (Appendix 6-b). -Media Sign-In Sheet (Appendix 6-c). -Miscellaneous supplies that an organizer/coordinator needs at any meeting
The remainder of this chapter provides suggestions and directions for community events by describing the planning and implementation of seven WHEELING WALKS public health events. But first, consider the overall structure and reasoning of the events: A list of the WHEELING WALKS Calendar of Events is provided on the following page. Note that events are schedule throughout the 8-week campaign, not all in the beginning or in the end. We initially planned one per week and then added some others to coincide with activities in the community (i.e., Rob Sweetgall at the Mall and the Semi-annual Trail Clean-up, neither of which had been confirmed at the beginning of the campaign). Also, note the mix of activities, sponsors, and venues. These were deliberate decisions. Planning the large variety of activities helps the campaign appeal to, involve, and attract the attention of many sectors of the community. This mix of events is a very important characteristics of a “community” campaign. As the Events Analysis Sheet below shows, we planned events:
(2) with other celebrities, (3) at public facilities, (4) at private businesses, (5) at public schools, (6) at colleges, (7) at the local mall, (8) at churches, (9) in association with local organizations, (10) designed for beginning walkers beginners, (11) for more practiced walkers, and (12) for families--intergenerational in nature *this number denotes the number given to this “Community sector”
on the Events Analysis Sheet. WHEELING WALKS Campaign
CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
*OVRWC-Ohio Valley Runners & Walkers Club
**Local celebrities-arena football team
Click here to view the excel spreadsheet of the Events Analysis Sheet Top KICK OFF Press Conference EVENT A Kick Off Press Conference is a fun and exciting way to begin and attract attention to the campaign. Planning for the Kick OffLocationThe location of the event is important. Find a facility that is conducive to fanfare, a large audience and media coverage. To avoid problems with inclement weather, schedule the Kick Off indoors. In addition, hold the event in a convenient location with ample parking. You want the Kick Off to be a public celebration. Use balloons, flowers, banners and refreshments. In addition, be sure the facility has space for speaker seating and campaign information and registration tables. WHEELING WALKS used the Wheeling Civic Center for the Kick Off celebration. When reserving the facility, be sure the following items are available: 1. Chairs2. Tables (for refreshments, campaign information and registration) 3. Public Address system 4. Podium If any of the above items are not available, rent them from a local rental service, or check with the Chamber of Commerce. It is important to confirm your facility reservation in writing. Be sure to list the items you will need for the event and indicate the style of room set-up. (See Appendix KO-a for a copy of a facility confirmation letter.) Kick Off AgendaPrepare an agenda. We suggest you begin the program with the local campaign coordinator, educational institution representative and researcher(s). Then allow a few minutes for dignitary remarks. Be flashy and fast. The press has a limited amount of time for your event. Keep their attention and give them time to conduct interviews afterward. The event should last no more than 45 minutes. (See Appendix KO-b for an agenda. See Appendix KO-c for a sample Master/Mistress of Ceremonies speech.) SpeakersDecide who will speak at the event and provide them with talking points (see Appendix 4-d) and a draft Master/Mistress of Ceremonies Speech (see Appendix KO-c). By providing these items, you ensure that the message is clear and consistent throughout the event. Invitations and AgendasHave the invitations and agendas professionally printed. Your invitations and agendas do not need to be fancy, but they do need to be professional. A handmade or office computer generated agenda/invitation is not appropriate for this event. Remember, this is an “EVENT”. Make it special. (See Appendices KO-b and KO-d.) Guest ListInvite all campaign contacts. Following is a list of potential guests.
Note: The best way to organize the above contacts is to use a spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel. In the first row label columns for: Last name, first name, organization, street, city, state, zip, phone, and email. Fill in as much information as possible for each contact. The spreadsheet design will allow you to sort the contacts by any category. Other Tasks
Conclude with a Walk: A short walk is a great way to reinforce the campaign message. Arrange for one of your guests to lead the walk. In Wheeling, the Mayor invited guests to join him for a 10-minute walk. Each community should decide the amount of walking time that is appropriate for their event. The walk, and campaign, was officially started with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Don’t Forget to Thank EVERYONE! Remember to thank all participants promptly. Generate a thank you list from your sign-in sheets, invitation lists, and speaker contact information. If possible, add a personal hand-written note of thanks. This extra effort may encourage Kick Off participants to attend future events and offer additional support for the campaign. (See Appendix KO-g for a sample Thank You note.) Note: Appendix
KO-h is a working document on the process of organizing the
Kick-Off that illustrated how the above details were explained
contemporaneously to staff. Such detailed communications are
vital to a successful campaign. Leave no staff or important volunteers
in the dark about the purpose, nature, and technical details of
the campaign and campaign events. Inviting a world class-walking expert, such as Mark Fenton, to visit the community will attract attention to your campaign. Even more important, the appearance of a walking expert will attract the media. Mark Fenton is an entertaining, persuasive, and knowledgeable walking advocate, and one of the nation’s foremost experts on walking Planning for the Event Lodging When inviting an out of town speaker, be sure to arrange for lodging and transportation.
Activities Be sure to schedule the breakfast at a convenient location with ample parking. In addition, schedule the breakfast at a convenient time. We suggest approximately 7:30 am. This time slot allows invited guests to attend before going to work. Task for the Event:
9:00-10:00 am - Assembly at Wheeling Park High School A high school event provides an opportunity to involve youth in the campaign. Contact your local high school to offer an assembly on walking and its benefits. If you are implementing the campaign in a large community, you may not need to invite the entire student body. For example, WHEELING WALKS presented an assembly to the high school physical education classes. Tasks for the Event:
10:00-10:30 am - Informal media session with print and/or radio Schedule a time for media interviews. This will ensure the media has time to ask questions and the speaker has an opportunity to provide comments. (See Chapter 4 for information about working with the media.)
10:30 - 11:45 am - Film segments with the local TV station See Chapter 4 for information about working with the media 12:00 Noon - Live Show at the newsroom See Chapter 4 for information about working with the media 1:00-1:45 pm - Informal Assembly St. Vincent Elementary School To support Walk Your Child to School Day, we scheduled an assembly at a local elementary school to kick off the program. It is rare to Be sure to utilize your Tasks for the Event:
1:45-2:00 pm - Interview with more local newspapers 3:00-3:20 pm - Interview on live Radio show, WWVA 3:30 - 3:50 pm - Interview on Live Radio show, WVLY 5:10 and 6 pm - Live on local TV station 8:00 pm - Walking Clinic sponsored by the Ohio Valley Runners and Walkers Club and Wheeling Jesuit University. Tasks for the Event
Conclude the day with a Walk: A short walk is a great way to reinforce the campaign message. Arrange for the speaker to lead the walk. Don’t Forget to Thank EVERYONE! Remember to thank all
participants promptly. Generate a thank you list from your sign-in
sheets, invitation lists, and speaker contact information. If
possible, add a personal hand-written note of thanks. This extra
effort may encourage participants to attend future events and
offer additional support for the campaign. (See Appendix
MF-c for a sample Thank You note.)
Rob Sweetgall is a motivational speaker. His Walking-For-Wellness program is world renown. Planning the Event: You will notice several similarities between the Mark Fenton program and the Rob Sweetgall program. However, it is important to note that our target audience was different. Targeting a different audience helped us communicate our message to more people. Plan the event at a convenient facility with ample parking and space for a large crowd. WHEELING WALKS partnered with the Ohio Valley Mall and the two local hospitals for this event. Activities 8:00-9:00 am - "Walk on the Well Side" at Howard Long Wellness Center This informative presentation focused on how walking can reduce stress, blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes risks, and obesity…. while improving longevity and a positive outlook on life. Task for the Event:
10:00 am - Mall "Walk Sport" Kick Off The Ohio Valley Mall is the only free indoor public walking venue near the city of Wheeling. We partnered with the mall to introduce their “Walk Sport” Mall Walking Program. We arranged for Rob Sweetgall to speak at their kick off celebration. Tasks for the Event:
11:30 - 12:00 pm - Family Services Presentation Tasks for the Event:
12:00 Noon - Live on local TV station See Chapter 4 for information about working with the media 12:30 pm - shoot promos with local TV station See Chapter 4 for information about working with the media 1:30-2:30 pm - Lunch with city/county officials 3:00 pm - Interview on Live Radio Show, WWVA See Chapter 4 for information about working with the media 3:30 pm - Interview on Live Radio, WVLY See Chapter 4 for information about working with the media 5:00-6:3O pm - "Walking Into Health" public presentation This program sponsored by the two local hospitals. The presentation focused onhow walking can reduce stress, blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes risks, and obesity…. while improving longevity and a positive outlook on life. Tasks for the Event:
Conclude the Day with a Walk A short walk is a great way to reinforce the campaign message. Arrange for the speaker to lead the walk. Don’t Forget to Thank EVERYONE! Remember to thank all participants promptly. Generate a thank you list from your sign-in sheets, invitation lists, and speaker contact information. If possible, add a personal hand-written note of thanks. This extra effort may encourage participants to attend future events and offer additional support for the campaign. (See Appendix RS-c for a sample Thank You note.) Top Physician’s Press Conference EVENT The Physician’s Press Conference is a media event. The purpose of the event is to announce that area physicians will be prescribing “walking” to their patients. The goal of the press conference is to attract media coverage. In addition, the press conference will add credibility to the campaign message. Physicians are respected by the public and are a primary source of health advice. Schedule the Physician’s Press Conference on the fourth week of the campaign to give the campaign a boost near the midpoint. Planning for the Event Contact local health care organizations to schedule a meeting to discuss the press conference. The hospital administrator or marketing director may be the best contacts. At the meeting:
Contact 4 to 5 prominent physicians in your community to speak at the press conference. Physicians should represent the local hospitals. In addition to your contact, ask the hospital administrator or marketing director to request the physicians’ participation at the event.
Other Tasks
Conclude the Day with a Walk A short walk is a great way to reinforce the campaign message. Arrange for the physicians to lead the walk. Don’t Forget to Thank EVERYONE! Remember to thank all participants promptly. Generate a thank you list from your sign-in sheets, invitation lists, and speaker contact information. If possible, add a personal hand-written note of thanks. This extra effort may encourage participants to attend future events and offer additional support for the campaign. (See Appendix PP-d and PP-e for sample Thank You notes.) TopOne of the major roadblocks to walking is a busy schedule. Therefore, WHEELING WALKS wanted to show Wheeling area employees how easy and beneficial it could be to incorporate a walk into their busy workday. We suggested a lunch hour walk. To encourage lunch hour walking, we planned the Mayor’s Walking Cup. Planning the Event Gaining the Mayor’s Support It is important to obtain the Mayor’s support for the event. Meet with the Mayor to explain the event and the importance to the area employees. Ask the Mayor to publicly acknowledge his/her support by making a public announcement or proclaiming a “Wear Your Sneakers to Work Day”. For example, the Mayor of Wheeling proclaimed May 16, 2001 “Wear Your Sneakers To Work Day”. LocationIt is preferable to hold the walk as near the business district as possible. This way, participation will take little time from the employees’ jobs. For example, the Wheeling Heritage Trail (a walking trail) is located in downtown Wheeling. This provided a perfect location for our Mayor’s Cup. If you do not have an accessible walking trail in your business district, it may be necessary to cordon streets for a brief 60-minute period. If this is necessary, you will need to ask for permission.
Asking a Business to Take the Lead Ask an established business to act as a liaison between the businesses and the campaign.
Informing Local Businesses Once you have gained the support of the Mayor and a well-established local business, inform the local businesses of the event.
Agenda for Mayor’s Walking CupThe event is simple, yet very informative for participants. Many workers commented that they were encouraged to walk the trail more often on their lunch hour. The Agenda
Don’t Forget to Thank EVERYONE! Remember to thank all participants promptly. Generate a thank you list from your sign-in sheets, invitation lists, and speaker contact information. If possible, add a personal hand-written note of thanks. This extra effort may encourage participants to attend future events and offer additional support for the campaign. The Intergenerational Walk EVENT Intergenerational Walk is a perfect opportunity to show how a active lifestyle benefits people of all ages. Walking together has not only positive fitness benefits, but helps to build stronger family relationships. The intergenerational walk was designed to draw attention to the public health benefits of active aging. According to the World Health Organization, “In a society for all ages, active aging makes a difference.” Planning the Event Location Be sure to plan the event in a location that is convenient and easily accessible by all ages. Inviting Generations of Walkers Attracting different generations of walkers is the most difficult planning task of the Intergenerational Walk. Planning your event to coincide with an established community event, may prove beneficial. For example, WHEELING WALKS planned our Intergenerational Walk to coincide with the Ogden 12K Distance Race. Many individuals, who were in town for pre-race day activities, participated in our event. Invite worksite program participants and volunteers by sending them an invitation. Contact the city recreation department and the schools to invite local sports teams and other school-age children to the event. Tasks for the Event:
In addition to the above items, a local sponsor provided funding for t-shirts. T-shirts were given to participants who paid a $5.00 registration fee. Also included in the registration fee was a trial membership to the Ohio Valley Runners’/Walkers’ Club. Needed Supplies
Don’t Forget to Thank EVERYONE! Remember to thank all participants promptly. Generate a thank you list from your sign-in sheets, invitation lists, and speaker contact information. If possible, add a personal hand-written note of thanks. This extra effort may encourage participants to attend future events and offer additional support for the campaign. (See Appendix IW-b, for a sample Thank You note.) The Finale -- Community Campaign Celebration EVENT This event was scheduled to celebrate the success of the 8-week campaign. The event was significant because the WHEELING WALKS staff was able to “pass the baton” to the Ohio Valley Runners’/Walkers’ Club. At this event, the campaign officially became a “community owned” program Keep this event brief and simple. Allow the community organization to take the lead. The Ceremony The ceremony may include:
Other agenda items:
Conclude with a Walk Conclude the event with a walk. Celebrate your campaign achievements. Take a walk together and enjoy it!
Facility Confirmation Letter
March 20, 2001 Mr. XXX Dear XXX, I am writing to confirm our conversations concerning the use of the Wheeling Civic Center for our WHEELING WALKS 30 Minutes or More Challenge kickoff celebration. This event will be held on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 at 9:00 AM. Weather permitting, we will have our celebration on the front step area. The Civic Center will provide us with seating for approximately 100 people. We would like a staging area in front with a podium and possibly 25 seats and then an audience with 50 - 75 seats. Is it possible for you to provide us with a public address system or is it necessary for us to obtain one elsewhere? We are aware that the Shrine Circus will also be at the Civic Center that day. We thought that possibly some clowns could attend our celebration. We would be happy to make those arrangements if you would provide us with contact information. If you prefer, you can make the request yourself. It will also be necessary for us to display several banners that day. We would appreciate any help that you can offer to set these up in a prominent area so that they can be easily seen by the media. We want to be sure that our sponsors get adequate coverage. Theresa XXX is now working with our campaign and she will be contacting you shortly to discuss and finalize these plans. You have been very helpful to our campaign and we greatly appreciate your generosity. It has truly been a pleasure working with you and we hope that you will join us for our kickoff celebration and become a participant in our campaign. Sincerely,
Debbie
XXXX ANNA DR · Wheeling, WV Top Kick Off Agenda
Top Appendix KO-c Master/Mistress of Ceremonies SpeechSample Speech for the Master (Mistress) of Ceremonies Wow! !! I'm inspired. Hope you are ready to walk! This campaign has been in the works for nearly a full year and many many people have been involved in this spectacular launch to this phenomenal effort. With fear of leaving out some key people, I need to mention a few leaders who have been with us from the beginning of this all out effort. Ms. Courtney Gabor, Marketing Coordinator for the city of Wheeling, has coordinated every facet with the city with impressive magic, Denny and Marty Stephan, Ohio Valley Runners and Walker Club representatives, have become personal friends and tireless advocates on the behalf of the whole Ohio Valley Run Walk Club, Dr. Felecia Greer of Ohio University Eastern has brought her expertise and her terrific students to the research portion of the campaign. She is a trusted advisor and friend. Rich Carnahan, of Idea Giant, has developed a drop-dead website. I hope you all run home and log on to check out our site. The addition to the campaign of a state of the art website will truly set us apart form other public health efforts. Citizens can register for the campaign and log their minutes walked via the World Wide Web. Rich has put up with technology illiterate people and smiled. We love ya, Rich. Larry Lewis, Administrator with the Wheeling Ohio County Health Department is probably my hero. He is always Johnny-on-the-spot and keeps the wheels of operation well oiled. Others I would like to quickly mention include Ruby Greathouse of the Brooke Pioneer Trails, John Bradshaw, Beyond Marketing, Terry Sterling, Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce, Pastor and Mrs. Darrell Cummings, Bethlehem Apostolic Temple, Don Feenerty, Feenerty Photography, Emmy Lou Charlton, Belmont Co Family Health Services, Joyce Zambito, Wheeling Health Right, Candi Noble and Tammy Stoffer, Ohio Valley Mall, Judi Hladek and her dynamic team, The Wellness Bridge, Mr. George Krelis and his fine staff, Wheeling Park High School, and, Mr. Jay DeFruscio, Director of Athletics, Wheeling Jesuit University. If you or your organization would like to be involved, do not hesitate to talk with Dr. Reger, Debbie Mannarino, Theresa Hanlin, or myself. You can become a catalyst for some dynamic change right here in your own back yard. We need all the help we can get. If you have not already picked up a campaign schedule, I encourage you to do so before you head out this morning. I'd like to highlight but a few of the events coming up. Our family walking clinics are hosted and facilitated by the OVRWC and will be held on the 5 Fridays leading up to the Ogden Distance Run/Walk. Please refer to the schedule for location and time for each clinic. These are events that will offer some real time walking information and include a 30-min walk each Friday. Sunday, April 22 is Community Prayer Walk Sunday, encourage your church to get involved. Rev. Cummings or our campaign staff can assist you. Mr. Mark Fenton, former world class walker and Editor at Large for Walking Magazine will be with our community on April 24. Be sure to catch one of his gigs while he is in town. On April 30th, WHEELING WALKS is proud to join The Ohio Valley Mall as they kick off their new mall-walking program. The mall is the valley's only free indoor walking venue. Mr. Rob Sweetgall, motivational speaker and "the real Forest Gump" has walked across the United States 7 times-he will be here for the day. Check out his local appearances at the Mall and at OVMC for an evening presentation. Please join us Sat. May 12 at 10AM at the amphitheater in Wheeling for a trail clean up. Pizza is the reward for helping to beautify the trails. Mayor Sparachane has asked me to invite every one of you to his Walking Cup on May 16th. The Mayor will proclaim May 15th "Wear Your Sneakers to Work Day" and hopes the whole city and surrounding areas will join him for a 30 minute walk around Wheeling. We'll all meet on Main street near the Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Building at 12:00 noon. On Friday, May 26th an Intergenerational Walk will commence at 5:00 (registration) and 6:00 or so- (walk) here, at the Civic Center. We are encouraging families of all sorts to come out in force for a 2-mile walk on the Heritage Trail. Join the Fun on Sat the 26th as a walker or observer for the 25th anniversary of the Wheeling Distance Run sponsored by Ogden Newspapers. We conclude the campaign on Saturday June 9th at WJU for a morning of recognition and what else-walking. Phew!!! If you missed any of that it is on the web site and in print. Mark your calendars -this campaign is going to be one big party! At this time we are scheduled to join the mayor and our dignitaries on the trail to officially open the campaign with a ribbon cutting, hope you wore your walking shoes for a 10 minute walk-just the first of many you will take in the next 8 weeks and for the rest of your life-Thank you all for coming and please do not rush off. Thanks to the Wheeling Civic Center and Denny McGruder and staff for their hospitality today. We have a wonderful cake for us to enjoy after the ribbon cuffing and the walk. Walk on, Wheeling!! TopKick-Off Postcard Invitation Reminder
Top Appendix KO-e Letter to Senator
CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS
Anna Drive Wheeling, WV 26003 March 5, 2001 Senator Jay Rockefeller Dear Senator Rockefeller: It is our pleasure to inform you of an exciting public health campaign that is taking shape in Wheeling, West Virginia. West Virginia University, Department of Community Medicine and the Wheeling-Ohio County Public Health Department, under the direction of Dr. Bill Reger, are pleased to be developing a model project to help all Americans get off the couch and out the door to take a walk. The Surgeon General has stated that physical inactivity is a serious nationwide problem. It poses a public health challenge for reducing the national burden of unnecessary illness and premature death. More than 60% of Americans are not getting enough physical activity to obtain health benefits. Twenty-five per-cent of adults report no physical activity in their leisure time. WHEELING WALKS! is a media campaign that will educate the citizens of Wheeling, West Virginia and the surrounding tri-state area to the benefits of walking and hopefully motivate all citizens to begin a walking program. This 8-week program will begin April 17, 2001 at 9:00 A.M. with a Kickoff Celebration at the Wheeling Civic Center and continue through June 9, 2001. This unique program will be using a sophisticated media campaign to "sell" walking as a healthy activity for all Americans. During the campaign, we will attempt to educate as many people as possible to the benefits of walking and to enlist them to join in our walking program. In West Virginia, 68 percent of the adult population reported little or no physical activity in 1998 and West Virginia ranked third worst among the 50 states for having no leisure-time physical exercise at all. To improve heart, brain, and other body functions at all ages, current public health guidelines recommend moderate physical activity (30 minutes or more) on almost every day. Successfully communicating this information to communities in ways that actually prompt individuals to put on their walking shoes and Walk (the easiest and most popular form of physical exercise) remains underdeveloped. An increasing number of studies document the cost-effectiveness of media-based community campaigns in changing physical activity knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior. With these statistics in mind, it is imperative that we do something to combat this sedentary lifestyle and offer citizens the opportunity to get physical. We would very much like you to be a speaker at our kickoff celebration. This important endeavor is asking for support from all areas of the local community, our state and federal legislators, and even the national news. Our local CBS affiliate is working with the CBS Morning Show to have them present at our kickoff We hope that you can be a part of this very worthwhile project. Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding the WHEELING WALKS! campaign and with any questions regarding your attendance at this event. Thank you for you consideration. Sincerely, Pres Release for Event NEWS RELEASE
West Virginia University Begins Unique Health-Education
Campaign in Wheeling
A unique walking campaign begins today on the airwaves, in the streets, and on the walking trails in Wheeling, WV. WHEELING WALKS is a project developed by West Virginia University and the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department to promote increased physical activity and reduce the burden of overweight, heart disease and diabetes in the United States. It is an intensive, eight-week, multimedia campaign aimed at communicating a simple but important health message: that regular walking can provide energy, help people feel better, give a person more time, and improve overall health. And it doesn't take much time. The message will be aired through an extensive paid-advertising campaign on local television, along with radio advertising and print ads. The TV spots - produced by a Los Angeles agency that specializes in political-campaign commercials - will air more than 400 times in the Wheeling area, beginning during prime-time programming today. The advertising campaign will be accompanied by a grassroots community effort featuring walking clinics sponsored by the Ohio Valley Runners/Walkers Club and Wheeling Jesuit University. There will be walking programs in area schools, worksites, churches, and civic groups. The WHEELING WALKS campaign opened this morning with a kick-off event and press conference at the Civic Center in Wheeling. The campaign runs through June 9 "Both the message and method of this campaign are distinctive," said Dr. Bill Reger, Associate Professor of Community Medicine at WVU. "The advice we are offering is very focused and specific. Unlike many health-education campaigns, that try to change a person's entire lifestyle, we are offering people one simple, painless activity that will yield significant health benefits for themselves and their families. We believe this message will be communicated with great impact by our TV spots, even competing against junk-food ads with their mega-buck budgets."In one of the campaign's TV commercials, a woman discusses how much energy her husband has since he started walking: "Ted used to come home pooped. He did not have the energy for ... anything. Then I told him about a commercial on walking. It said that walking actually gives you energy. So Ted started walking. Ten minutes at first and then a little more each day. Now he's walking 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. It's good for his heart. It relieves stress. These days Ted has the energy ... well ... for everything." "Isn't it time you started walking?" she asks, followed by the campaign title: WHEELING WALKS. "Regular walking is one of the easiest and most important steps you can take to better health," said Dr. Robert D'Alessandri, Dean of the WVU School of Medicine. "By encouraging people to walk 30 minutes or more almost every day, the campaign can help individuals decrease blood pressure, prevent heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer; preserve bone density and prevent osteoporosis. Many of West Virginia's health problems would be improved if people would walk regularly 30 minutes, which they can begin with 10 minutes and then increase when they feel ready." WHEELING WALKS builds on the success of the Bayer Wellness Program and the "1% Or Less" low-fat milk campaign in reducing the risk for heart disease in this region. WVU's Dr. Reger served as director of both campaigns. "A sedentary lifestyle, along with a poor diet, causes as many deaths as tobacco," according to Reger. In West Virginia, obesity and heart disease rates are nearly 20 percent higher than the national average. (Nationally, one out of three Americans is considered obese.) Lack of time - or the perception of a lack of time - is one of the largest obstacles to regular physical activity. "Walking 30 minutes is just one TV show, and the average American watches 3-4 hours of TV per day," says Reger. "If you have time for one TV show, you have time to walk." "Another problem is that people come home exhausted," said Reger. "However most people are mentally tired. Once they start walking, people will find that walking actually gives them energy." Many in the community are committed to WHEELING WALKS. There are 7 volunteers in the Speakers Bureau, in addition to the commitment of the entire Ohio Valley Runners/Walkers Club, and a 37-member Advisory Board. According to Mayor Nick Sparachane of Wheeling: "Regular walking can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. We are pleased to see a campaign that provides community members with advice that can significantly promote both physical and mental health, but that is easy to understand and easy to follow." A wide range of community events are planned during the eight-week WHEELING WALKS campaign: A key message of the campaign is that walking gives you energy. "Give it a try," Reger encourages, "not only will you reduce your chances of heart disease, but you will feel better and have more energy." Top Thank You Note
 NEWS FLASH!
IN ONLY THREE DAYS OF THE WHEELING WALKS 30
MINUTES OR MORE
We are sending this to thank you for your essential help with the WHEELING WALKS 30 Minutes or More Kickoff. We are grateful to have you on board for the campaign and recognize that your contribution has almost guaranteed that this important project will be a success. Please accept our heartfelt thanks.
Sincerely, Dr. Bill Reger Holli
Debbie Theresa Top E-mail Outlining Details of Kick-Off Tasks Details, Details, Details Below is an email that was sent eleven days before the Kick Off. We added this email, not to scare you, but to inform you of the many details of event planning. The first press event sets the tone for the whole campaign. Therefore, it is important to pay close attention to details.
Top Sample Invitation
Top School Assembly Agenda
Agenda for Wheeling Park High School8:15 AM 9:00-9:05 9:05-9:10
9:10-9:45
9:45-9:50 9:50-9:53 9:53-9:54 9:54-9:55 9:55-10:00 Sample Thank You
NEWS FLASH!
IN ONLY THREE DAYS OF THE WHEELING WALKS
30 MINUTES OR MORE CHALLENGE WE HAVE OVER 1000 WALKERS
MOREOVER, ON THE FIRST DAY--IT SNOWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are sending this to thank you for your essential help with the WHEELING WALKS’ Mark Fenton Media Day. We are grateful to have you on board for the campaign and recognize that your contribution has almost guaranteed that this important project will be a success. Please accept our heartfelt thanks.
Sincerely, Dr. Bill Holli Debbie
Theresa Appendix RS-a Sample Flyer for Event
Presents Rob Sweetgall – “The Real Forest Gump”
Monday, April 30, 2001 10:00 AM Ohio Valley Mall Both events free to the public! (Validated Parking and refreshments at OVMC) After walking seven times across America, Rob Sweetgall will explore the broad benefits of walking. This will include how walking can reduce stress, blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes risks, and obesity…. while improving longevity and a positive outlook on life. Learn why taking even a short walk has benefit. Learn dozens of ways to fit 6,000 extra footsteps into a frantic day. Discover three ways walking can flatten your stomach and help you take up less space on planet earth. See Rob Sweetgall at the Ohio Valley Mall where he, WHEELING WALKS, and The Ohio Valley Mall will kickoff the “Walksport” Program that will give mall walkers the opportunity to earn gifts by walking. At OVMC, Rob will present Walk to Health. This is one humorous, educational, entertaining, inspirational program you don’t want to miss! Don’t forget to register for WHEELING WALKS on line at www.wheelingwalks.org. Please log your minutes on line or by calling XXX-XXXX. Remember Walk 30 Minutes on Almost Everyday! TopEvent Agenda
Ohio Valley Mall "Walk
Sport" Kick Off Agenda
10:00 (6 min) Tammy Stoffer, Mistress of Ceremonies, Welcome and Overview of details of the new mall walking program:
10:06 (5 min) Dr Bill Reger, WHEELING WALKS Representative
10:11 (14 min.) Dr Noble, Cardiologist
10:25 (35 min.) Rob Sweetgall, special guest
11:00 (3 min.) Tim Porter, City Councilman of St Clairsville
11:03 Official Ribbon Cutting to "open the mall" to the new program (Councilman, Rob, Dr. Noble and Bill) 11:04 (5 min.) "First" Mall Walk, led by Rob Sweetgall. Public invited. 11:09 Drawing for door prizes
Kick Off Flyer (WalkSport ™) Click for Ohio Valley Mall Kick Off Flyer Top Sample Thank You
IN ONLY THREE DAYS OF
THE WHEELING WALKS 30 MINUTES OR MORE CHALLENGE WE HAVE
OVER 1000 WALKERS
REGISTERED MOREOVER, ON THE FIRST DAY--IT SNOWED!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
We are sending this to thank you for your essential help with the WHEELING WALKS’ Rob Sweetgall Presentation. We are grateful to have you on board for the campaign and recognize that your contribution has almost guaranteed that this important project will be a success. Please accept our heartfelt thanks.
Sincerely, Dr. Bill Holli
Debbie Theresa
Physician’s PRESCRIPTION PAD Packet
Prescription Pad Packet
--Physician's Information Sheet Prescription Pad Packet
Thank you for agreeing to help West Virginia
University and Wheeling Walks get the
1. Keep your pads in an easily accessible area of the office
so each PCA, LPN, RN, Secretary, and Physician can access them.
2. During the assessment portion of the appointment,
physician should discuss physical activity as a positive
enhancement to 3. The walking script should be given to the patient at the same time as other prescriptions.
4. Encourage patients to get a buddy and/or walk with
family. If a family member accompanies the patient in the
exam room or 5.
Discuss your own walking and/or exercise habits with your patient.
Patients are often willing to emulate physician and health 6. Emphasize moderate walking as a valid addition to daily lives. 7. Office staff can encourage the patient at the time of departure to begin and maintain an active walking program.
8. During return visits, be sure to follow up with the
patient as to their progress with daily walking, offer
encouragement and 9.
Encourage patient to log their miles on the website -
www.wheelingwalks.org.
This site keeps track of minutes walked and can With your
help we can take the Ohio Valley from "worst to first" as we fight
obesity and sedentary lifestyle
Prescription Pad Packet
Walking Program for the Sedentary Adult
Check with your physician if you have two of the following risk factors: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history of heart disease, over 50 years of age, chest pain or pressure.
WALKING TIPS
Call a friend to join you. The time will pass more quickly, and you are more likely to not miss your appointment. Stretch for three minutes when you finish. Drink a glass of water before you start and another upon completion. Listen to your body. If you have any extraordinary aches and pains, take an additional day off. Check with your physician if the pain lasts. If you have chest pain, call your doctor immediately. Treat yourself to a good pair of comfortable shoes
Prescription Pad Packet-
Top Appendix PP-b
Report from the Wellness Bridge I am Judi Hladek, and I became the facilitator to the physicians during the WHEELING WALKS Campaign. I became involved with this project because I have the highest regard and respect for Dr. Bill Reger and his mission of wellness education. When I heard about this campaign coming to Wheeling, and that it was Dr. Bill Reger who was bringing it to my community, I wanted to be involved. I own a wellness company, "The Wellness Bridge", whose philosophy is "Connecting Health to Life", and I believed it would be a good relationship. After contacting Dr. Reger I was introduced to Holli Smith, the campaign coordinator. Several weeks before the campaign was to begin, we had several meetings outlining the procedures we would need to follow, as well as the deadlines we would need to meet. We received a number of materials to begin our journey of the eight-week campaign. Some of the items we received were:
2. Water Bottle 3. Tee Shirts with the campaign logo. 4. Hand-out materials to be studied. (These materials were very important because they were very informative and detailed.) 5. Prescription pads. 6. A sample of the Physician Packet, which included:
b. Set of prescription pads. c. Log Sheets (Walking Diary) Along with the prescription, the physician would give the patient a eight-week log sheet so they could record their walking time. These sheets would then be turned into the campaign at the end of the six weeks for the over-all community tallies. meeting. 8. A list of all area physicians, including their addresses and telephone numbers, was given to The Wellness Bridge organization. The first step in organizing for the campaign launch was to put together all of the physician packets. We had the materials needed for each packet several weeks before the campaign actually began, so there was enough time to get them compiled. We mapped out a time line of meetings so we could successfully complete our task.
TIME LINE Meeting #1 - 2 Hours 1. Talked about the strategy we
would use for the distribution of the physician packets and what
our introduction would 2. Organized the packets so we could begin putting them together. 3. Went over the physician list, separated it into groups, and assigned each of us a physician group list to contact. Meeting #2 - 2 Hours 1. Continued putting the physician packets together. 2. Went over the procedure we would follow when presenting the materials to the physicians. 3. Procedure used in Wheeling:
b. Presenting the material. c. Shaking the person’s hand at closing. d. Before going to another office you need to document what took place. We used one physician list and made notes beside each physician’s name. This step is very important! e. You also need a list of the physicians that were not in at the time of distribution. You will never remember once you start, and it could be very embarrassing to the campaign if a physician is left out. f. Make sure you find out the hours of the physicians’ offices that were closed, so you can return within a couple of days. Meeting #3 - 2 Hours This was a role playing meeting where we walked through the introduction and closing procedure. We played with situations like: --- Happy and receptive Gate Keeper Practice documenting the situations. This was a very important meeting because your group needs to be consistent. May I stress that documenting each meeting is very important. It helps with future meetings as well. We were ready for the campaign to begin. Meeting #4 - 2 Hours Took place the 2nd week of the campaign. During this meeting we did a check to make sure all of the physicians were contacted, and discussed the physicians’ responses to the WHEELING WALKS Campaign. Don’t be alarmed if you are not received with open arms in the physician’s office. The ”Gate Keepers“ guard carefully. You need to win the Gate Keeper over. Just understand that some will not be won over. The word is "Next!" Meeting #5 Took place at the end of the third week of the campaign. During this meeting additional physician’s prescription pads were distributed to the consultants of The Wellness Bridge so they could follow-up with the physicians they had contacted during week #1 of the campaign. Also, each consultant received one poster for each physician’s office. These items were delivered to the physicians during week #4 of the campaign. The response from some of the Gate Keepers and physicians was more receptive our second time through, than it was the first. Actually, many said they were walking and keeping their own logs. They were very excited about the posters, many of which are still hanging in their offices. We remained alert for any physicians that may have slipped by unnoticed, but still may have needed information about the campaign, such as new physicians to the community who were not on the original physicians list. During week 5 and 6 of the campaign we would keep a check on the various physicians that needed additional supplies. Judi Hladek, BS-Ed, CPT, TWBCC Top Media Advisory (1 page)FAX Press Advisory
PLEASE DELIVER IMMEDIATELY TO:___________________________
WHEELING WALKS Please attend the OVMC/Wheeling Hospital Physician Press Conference on Tuesday, May 8, 2001. Important information regarding the impending success of the walking campaign will be available. Campaign progress and statistics on the campaign to include number of walkers registered and minutes/miles walked will be announced. Logistics – Oglebay, Wilson Lodge, Terrace Room Area physicians will be the featured speakers. They will discuss the importance of walking for all citizens of the Valley. Prominent doctors will offer additional reasons for residents to get involved in the walking campaign. After brief remarks from the experts, the panel will be available to take questions from the press. Please contact Holli XXXXX at Voice- (740)
XXX-XXXX Featured speakers include: Dr Bill Reger, Ed.D.Campaign Director, WHEELING
WALKS, Associate Professor, West Virginia University
Sample “Thank You” for Attendees
NEWS FLASH! IN ONLY THREE DAYS OF THE WHEELING WALKS
30 MINUTES OR MORE CHALLENGE WE HAVE OVER 1000 WALKERS
MOREOVER, ON THE FIRST DAY--IT SNOWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are sending this to thank you for your essential help with the WHEELING WALKS’ Physician’s Press Conference. We are grateful to have you on board for the campaign and recognize that your contribution has almost guaranteed that this important project will be a success. Please accept our heartfelt thanks.
Sincerely,
Top Sample "Thank You" for Physicians
On behalf of Wheeling
Hospital, Ohio Valley
Top Sample Business Support Solicitation Letter
Presents
May16, 2001 at 12:00 PM Wheeling Heritage Trail, Wheeling Civic Center Entrance It is our pleasure to inform you of an exciting public health campaign that is taking shape in Wheeling. WHEELING WALKS is a campaign dedicated to the health and well being of all Americans being developed by West Virginia University, Department of Community Medicine and the Wheeling - Ohio County Public Health Department. This model project hopes to help all Americans get off the couch and out the door to take a walk. As part of this campaign Mayor Nick Sparachane will be hosting a Mayor's Walking Cup on May 16, 20001 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM in the downtown area. The Mayor's Walking Cup will consist of a 30-minute walk on Wheeling’s Heritage Trail that begins at the Wheeling Civic Center. Mayor Sparachane will be the master of ceremonies and all citizens working in the downtown area are encouraged and urged to attend. It is our hope that you and your employees will join us in this walk. We are asking everyone working in the downtown area to spend 30 minutes of their lunch hour walking. Participants will be able to sign up for the campaign and after walking the lunchtime route, a light lunch will be available. In conducting the walk we hope to show employees how easy and beneficial it is, to walk during their lunch hour. This is an easy and fun way to promote fitness in your organization. WHEELING WALKS is interested in improving the health of the citizens of Wheeling and the surrounding area. Please join the campaign by encouraging your employees to participate in the Mayor's Walking Cup. Wear your company T-shirts or colors to show your organization's support for the campaign and join us in an hour of healthy, fun activity. This is a free event and small incentives are in the works for each individual that participates. Walking is sure to be the “buzz" word in Wheeling so get your organization involved! Register for WHEELING WALKS and log your minutes by calling XXX-XXXX or online at www.wheelingwalks.org. Top
Sample Business Support for WALK Letter
Dear Sir or Madam: It is our pleasure to inform you of an exciting public health campaign that is taking shape in Wheeling. WHEELING WALKS is a campaign dedicated to the health and well being of all Americans being developed by West Virginia University, Department of Community Medicine and the Wheeling - Ohio County Public Health Department This model project hopes to help all Americans get off the couch and out the door to take a walk. As part of this campaign Mayor Nick Sparachane will be hosting a Mayor's Walking Cup on May 16, 20001 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM in the downtown area. This event, endorsed by (Endorsing Business Here), will consist of a 30-minute on Wheeling’s Heritage Trail that begins at the Wheeling Civic Center. Mayor Sparachane will be the master of ceremonies and all citizens working in the downtown area are encouraged and urged to attend. It is our hope that you and your employees will join us in this walk. We are asking everyone working in the downtown area to spend 30 minutes of their lunch hour walking. Participants will be able to sign-up for the campaign and after walking the lunchtime route, a light lunch will be available. In conducting the walk we hope to show employees how easy and beneficial it is to walk during their lunch hour. This is an easy and fun way to promote fitness in your organization. (Endorsing Business) is interested in improving the health of its own employees and the citizens of Wheeling. Please join us by encouraging your employees to participate in the Mayor's Walking Cup. For more details or to sign up your team, you may contact XXXXX at XXX-XXX. Wear your company T-shirts or colors to show your organization's support for the campaign and join us in an hour of healthy, fun activity. This is a free event and small incentives are in the works for each individual that participates. Walking is sure to be the "buzz" word in Wheeling once the campaign begins so get your organization involved!
Sincerely,
your name Sample Donation Letter Request
The Kroger Company Attention XXX: An increasing number of studies document the cost-effectiveness of media-based community campaigns in changing physical activity knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior. The WHEELING WALKS 30 Minutes or More Challenge is an 8-week media based community walking campaign. Funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and in collaboration with the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department, West Virginia University Department of Community Medicine will use paid advertising, public relations, and community educational activities to deliver a targeted public health message to get individuals to walk 30 minutes a day on almost every day. As part of this campaign the Ohio Valley Runners' / Walkers' Club is hosting a 2-mile Intergenerational Walk on Friday, May 25, 2001 beginning at the Wheeling Civic Center. This unique event will encourage generations of families, co-workers, and friends to take a walk together. As part of this walk, we would like to provide possibly 400 walkers with water, ice, and fruit flavored popsicles. The Kroger Company is always generous to organizations and it is our hope that you will be able to help with this worthwhile project. WHEELING WALKS will be happy to display any Kroger banner that you can provide at the Intergenerational Walk and will also list the Kroger Company as a sponsor of this worthwhile campaign. Thank you in advance for any help that you can give to the campaign. Sincerely, Deborah
Top
Informaiton Sheet on Intergenerations Walk Top Certificate of Appreciation Click
here to view the certificate of appreciation.
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