from Shevonne’s desk,
Determined to make Milton a healthier place to live and work, a group ofresidents, town officials, school personnel and employers who call themselves the Healthy Community Design Task Force , is gathering information about the challenges residents face and providing healthier options in a variety of venues, one of which is the community dinner series. And by all indications, they are experiencing a roaring success. I recently had an opportunity to attend the last event in this year’s series at the Milton Elementary School. These dinners, free of charge, not only provide residents a hot healthy meal but serve as a means to showcase and share information about wellness-related activities and to build community camaraderie.
The first dinner/event focused on food insecurities in Vermont, the second was dedicated to walking and cycling in Milton, the third’s theme was about gardening and growing one’s own food and the last highlighted a smattering of activities related to physical activity.
When I strolled into the school cafeteria, I discovered several tables decked out with red and blue balloons and place mats with health messages, a roller derby team wearing helmets and skates busing tables and a life-size cut-out of First Lady 
Michelle Obama next to a picture book detailing Milton students’ recent travails to the White House to help plant the annual garden.
I had a choice of either pulled pork or hamburgers, a mix of roasted veggies, watermelon and potato salad., all prepared by Milton’s Food Service Director, Steve Marinelli and his crew. As I looked around the room, I saw families, couples and retirees everywhere engaged in conversation.I sat down next to Alice, one of the Milton’s school nurses and was introduced to Milton’s dean of students and a retired couple from the community, one of whom has been nicknamed the mayor because of all of the volunteer time he provides in the community. Boy Scouts cruised by each table offering small dishes of Island ice cream, with a flavor created especially for Milton’s bicentennial.
Down the corridor, I found a gang of parents and grandparents cheering on their children as they pedaled Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont’s smoothie bicycle equipped with a blender on the fender, and a variety of representatives from the Arrowhead Golf Course, Milton 250’s celebration,therecreation department, VT state parks and the Milton Conservation Commission.Parents could order bicycle helmets for their children for a nominal fee, practice a little Zumba, converse with Fleet Feet about running shoes, jump into the hot air balloon basket stationed right outside the front door or shake hands with Champ, the Lake Monster’s mascot.
I was thrilled to see community members of all ages and occupations breaking bread together and discovering ways they could have fun while being physical.Can a few events like this truly move a community to a healthier place?Absolutely!Towns across the US who have found the momentum to do so such as Albert Lea, Minnesota have discovered significant positive results.Though it won’t happen overnight, Milton has caught the “let’s make this a healthier place to live” bug. If this bug proves to be contagious, new norms will be created among community members and they will be well on their way.