Ongoing Projects

Our mission:

To achieve measurable improvement in the quality of life in the River Valley towns of Oxford County through coordinated, ongoing public health promotion.

Our Success :
Established in 1997,
the Healthy Communities is successor to the Northern Oxford County Coalition (NOCC). The regional Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided financial support and technical assistance to the NOCC, whose chief concern was environmental pollution.

Maine commodity supplemental food program (PDF)

Recycling
Do you know what you should be recycling and what you shouldn’t? Do you know how to recycle? Here is a helpful resource from the Northern Oxford Regional Solid Waste Board (NORSWB) PDF link here

Hazardous Waste Collection
Call for more information 207-364-7408.
Download our 2013 Recycling Calendar.

Physical Activity
River Valley Running

For more information contact Cherri Crockett at Rumford Falls times 364.7893 or ccrockett@rumfordfallstimes.com.

100 Miles in 100 Days
River Valley Healthy Communities has had recent success helping to increase the level of physical activity of our community in the challenge 100 Miles in 100 Days. January 2010 has seen 106 participants with ages ranging from 18-25 and one participant in the 76-85 age group.
The challenge happens in January and June and runs for 100 days. There are no set
parameters for the challenge with the exception to be active. It comes complete with a log sheet and conversion charts for alternate activities such as hiking and skiing. The conversion charts turn these activities into steps and miles to help get to that 100 miles goal.
Please join us and walk your way to healthy!

Want to find a walking route? Want to tell us about one in your community? Or do want to learn how to create a route? If you answer yes to one of these questions, you’ve come to the right place. Healthy Maine Walks provides information on how to find a walking route near you, to share information about walking routes, or to find out about how to create one.
www.healthymainewalks.com.

For those of you not interested in registering with RVHCC, but you would like to start 100 miles challenge...here are all the materials that you need to make that happen. Feel free to email with us your successes and feedback about the program. rvhcc@gwi.net

Good luck with your goals at maintaining a healthy lifestyle!

Work Healthy! Award Program
The primary focus of our Work Healthy Award Program is to recognize employers that have placed a high priority on promoting good health for their employees. We also provide free technical assistance to worksites that wish to create or strengthen their worksite wellness policies and programs.

The program recognizes businesses that follow responsible beverage sales practices.
For more information contact us at 364.7408 or rvhccemery@gwi.net

The Workplace Award recognizes businesses and organizations in the River Valley by supporting tobacco-free lifestyles, encouraging physical activity and/or promoting healthy eating, business and organizations realize the benefits of a healthier workforce including:

Reduced absenteeism ~ Reduced disability costs~ Money saved
Reduced health care costs ~ Improved productivity

Award recipients are recognized publicly through the River Valley Chamber
as well as articles in the Rumford Falls Times and Lewiston Sun Journal
describing their efforts as employers to Work Healthy.

Healthy Maine Works: Online Business Tool

The purpose of HMW is to guide and support Maine employers in developing worksite wellness programs that support the health employees. Supporting employee health can improve employee on the job performance, impact the bottom line, and help individuals and their families stay well. HMW is a project of Maine's Center for Disease Control. Office of Substance Abuse, and the Department of Education and is delivered in collaboration with with local healthy Maine Partnerships across the State.

This online, easy to use software tool is available free of charge to employers of all sizes . The tool offers:

Employee and organizational assessments that help establish health related priorities
Health promotion ideas and resources
An action plan form and guide

Employers just getting started , the simple, guided ad no cost process for developing a worksite wellness plan is a great first step. Worksites with existing programs, the tried and tested wellness activities combined with expertise and resources provided by Healthy Maine Partnership staff will give any wellness program a boost. If you would like to get started using Healthy Maine Works or have questions about its use contact:

River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, one of twenty-eight Healthy Maine Partnerships rvhccemery@gwi.net or 364.7408

Programs listed are funded by a Fund for a Healthy Maine

2011 Work Healthy Award Winners
Silver Awards

Hope Association, Irving Forest Products, Inc., Maine DOT-Region 3, Marden's, Northeast Bank, Norway Savings Bank, Region 9 School of Applied Technology, Rumford Hospital,
Safe Voices, Sun Journal, Sunday River

Bronze Awards

Bangor Savings, Brian's Bistro, Med-Care Ambulance, Oxford Federal Credit Union,
Tri-County Mental Health, Western Maine Community Action

	Who Can You Trust? Health Information and the Internet
		Curriculum Sourcebook DOWNLOAD By Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi
	Who Can You Trust? Health Information and the Internet was developed by the RVHCC to increase community access to reliable health information and improve the health information literacy skill of youth and young adults. It is designed for teachers and librarians to use with middle and high school students and in non-formal adult education settings. The project was funded by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine - New England Region http://nnlm.gov/ner/
	The Curriculum Sourcebook Uses a PDF format, to download the PDF reader Please click here or the adobe icon.

PO Box 86 | Rumford, ME | 04276 | 207-364-7408