Belmar Named New Jersey Healthy Town To Watch

Belmar has been named a New Jersey Healthy Town to Watch by the Mayors Wellness Campaign, a program of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute in partnership with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.

The Mayors Wellness Campaign (MWC) began in 2006 in partnership with the NJ State League of Municipalities to leverage local leadership to prioritize health and wellness in communities statewide. Today, MWC has grown to nearly 380 municipalities—two-thirds of the state’s 565 towns.

“We know that our mayors have the power to play a critical role in improving the health of communities,” said Linda Schwimmer, President and CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. “What we are seeing on the grass roots level — from community gardens to yoga classes to supportive conversations about advance directives — is truly exciting. We believe that strong leadership in towns can strengthen the health of a community.”

The Healthy Town designation recognizes the communities and mayors who have made healthy lifestyles a top priority, and have innovatively and effectively worked to improve community health.

Highlights from Belmar’s MWC include:

· “Choose Your Cover”—an early detection skin cancer screening program at the local beach through a partnership with CentraState Health Care System. Volunteer dermatologists and nurses checked 140 Belmar residents for signs of skin cancer and provided preventive education.

· “Lessons Learned” – a roundtable with Mayors Wellness Campaign participants and organizers to periodically identify areas for improvement.

· Pinky Swear (in photo) —an event for Breast Cancer Mammogram awareness month. At this event, Belmar broke the Guinness World record for most “pinky swears” with 900 people attending.

Fort Lee also has been named a New Jersey Healthy Town to Watch. Beachwood and Jersey City were named New Jersey Healthy Towns.