The Foundation of Dixie Regional Medical Center Jubilee of Trees and the St. George Kohl's department store are teaming up this month to encourage Washington County school kids to choose water instead of soda. Experts agree that as a nation, our increased intake of sweetened drinks-especially soda and sports drinks-directly correlates to an unhealthy increase in body weight. Sodas are also linked to weak bones, tooth decay, and an increased desire for sugar (and in some cases, caffeine).
"The average 12-ounce soda contains between 10 and 12 teaspoons of sugar," said Shelley Mendenhall, development director for the hospital Foundation. "If you're talking about a 52-ounce drink-well, you can do the math."
Mendenhall is the author of an interactive skit featuring Mr. and Mrs. Claus, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Rudolph, who is too tired for his yearly rounds because he has consumed too much root beer and not enough water. Mendenhall is taking the skit to 15 elementary schools in Washington County during the month of October.
"The kids are so smart!" she said. "They laugh and have fun, but they also really get it."
The skit is an extension of the Dixie Regional Medical Center Jubilee of Trees "Spirit of Children" program, and is sponsored by Kohl's department store. As part of the Spirit of Children, kids from more than a dozen local schools decorate trees for the Jubilee of Trees. While the Jubilee's primary funding initiative this year is bringing a Life Flight helicopter to southern Utah, the Spirit of Children program also provides a grant to enhance in-school health education programs.
Choosing to drink water over "liquid candy" is also a primary focus of Intermountain Healthcare's "LiVe-This Is Your Life", a program designed to promote healthy habits in youth. According to the LiVe website www.intermountainlive.org:
~Every day for a typical 2-year-old, carbonated soda pop provides more added sugar than cookies, candies and ice cream combined.
~56% of 8-year-olds down soda every day.
~A third of teenage boys drink at least 3 cans of soda pop per day.
~ 60% of all public and private middle schools and high schools sell soda pop to students.
"Hopefully the kids are taking the healthy things they learn home," said Mendenhall.
A secondary message she takes to the students is the importance of volunteerism."I start each presentation by thanking the students for participating in the Jubilee of Trees. It's important for them to know how their efforts contribute to our community. This year's Jubilee is working to bring a Life Flight helicopter and crew to southern Utah. When I explain to the kids how their efforts help others, I can see a light go on. I even had one student raise his hand and say that he had been in an accident and had taken a ride in one of those helicopters. That's when our message really hits home."
The Jubilee of Trees benefits communities of southern Utah with support that strengthens the hospital's charitable mission. In cooperation with community partners and thousands of volunteers, the Jubilee has created a gift of miracles, raising millions of dollars over the past several years. Recent initiatives have included Life Flight helicopter service, the Jubilee Home II charitable lodging facility, newborn intensive care, maternal fetal medicine, cancer services, and over $500,000 to help build and equip the new Dixie Regional Medical Center on River Road.
The Foundation of Dixie Regional Medical Center is a Utah nonprofit corporation dedicated to inspiring giving to support Dixie Regional Medical Center with the intent of realizing a common dream-excellent healthcare close to home to save and comfort lives-regardless of means. For more information about donating to local healthcare, please contact the Foundation at 435-251-2482 or online at www.dixieregional.org/foundation.
Sodas are also linked to weak bones, tooth decay, and an increased desire for sugar (and in some cases, caffeine).
