Brookline Health Department Events

The Brookline Department of Public Health will celebrate National Public Health Week 2008 from April 5 through April 14, 2008, by again offering to Brookline residents a week of public health talks, interactive programs, and other events. Since 1995, when then President Bill Clinton proclaimed the first full week of April as National Public Health Week, Brookline has hosted activities to highlight the role of public health in the town. Throughout Massachusetts and the United States, communities will honor public health professionals, applauding the role public health plays in promoting health and quality of life for all Americans

Highlights of Brookline’s Public Health Week activities include:

Do You Need an Oil Change at Home? TRANSitioning Your Kitchen to Better Health
On Monday, April 7, 2008, Brookline residents will learn how to eliminate trans fats in the home and make heart-healthier choices at a public forum at the Brookline Public Library. The forum, set to begin at 6:30pm at the Brookline Public Library, 361 Washington Street, will feature speakers, free food samples and giveaways including modified recipes. Residents will learn how to read a nutrition facts label properly, understand the nutritive differences between good and bad fats, locate saturated fats in foods, and convert recipes to remove trans fats. Kara Maloney MS, RD, LDN, Clinical Dietitian, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Cindy Crowninshield, Program Associate, Brookline Health Department/Graduate Student, Nutrition Science, Boston University are the speakers. Brigham and Women's Hospital, No Pudge!, and Town of Brookline, Department of Public Health are the forum sponsors. The forum coincides with the implementation of a new Brookline, MA regulation which prohibits the use of trans fats at local food establishments. Brookline is the first community in Massachusetts, and one of only a handful in the United States, to pass such a law. As Brookline restaurants and other food establishments go artificial trans fat free, the Health Department’s goal is to educate and encourage Brookline households to also eliminate these fats from their personal diets. The forum is free and open to the public. Call 617-730-2300 for further information.

Are you a BIG-FOOT?
Come calculate your “environmental footprint” at the Brookline Senior Center. How do what we eat, what we wear and how we get from here to there affects the environment. Join us in a discussion on what “global warming” and “climate change” mean and how certain aspects of our lifestyles impact the earth. What are we doing right, and what can we do better? Find out how our choices affect climate change and what you can do to adjust your footprint size. Join in a question and answer session to see how you measure up!

The full schedule of National Public Health Week events in Brookline appears below.

Saturday, April 5
Rabies Clinic
Bring your dog or cat to be vaccinated. All pets must be brought on a leash or in a cage by a person at least 14 years old. Fee: $10. Brookline Health Department, 11 Pierce St. 9:00 AM-12:00 PM.

Monday, April 7
Printer Friendly Flyer (PDF)
Do you need an oil change at home? TRANSitioning your kitchen to better health
Learn how to cook healthier. Brookline Main Library, 361 Washington St., Hunneman Hall, 6:30-8:00 PM.

Environmental Quiz
Visit the Health Department’s website to take the newest on-line quiz: www.townofbrooklinemass.com/health/

Tuesday, April 8
Brookline Women’s Walking Group
Come improve your fitness, increase physical activity and meet other women in the community. Meet at the Brookline Reservoir at the pump house or Griggs Park at the basketball hoop. Both locations meet at 8:30 AM or 5:30 PM.

Recognizing Strokes and Capturing Sneezes
Printer Friendly Flyer (PDF)
Useful tools to prevent significant public health issues. Brookline Main Library, 361 Washington St., Hunneman Hall, 12:00-1:00 PM.

Pandemic Flu Planning
Session hosted by the Brookline Public Health Nurse. Open to public at O’Shea House, 61 Park St., 1:30 PM. Snacks and prizes. Event repeats on Friday, April 11.

Wednesday, April 9
Working with Children in an Emergency
Medical Reserve Corps training session hosted by the Brookline Public Health Nurse. Open to members of Brookline MRC. Please contact the Brookline DPH for more information.

Thursday, April 10
English as a Second Language
Class taught by the Brookline Public Health Nurse. For registered ESL students, 190 Harvard St. 6:30 PM. Please contact BDPH for more information.

Friday, April 11
Printer Friendly Flyer (PDF)
Are you a BIG-FOOT?
Come calculate your “environmental footprint” at the Brookline Senior Center. Join in a question and answer session to see how you measure up. Forum hosted by Patrick Maloney and Samantha Baras, staff at the Brookline Department of Public Health. Brookline Senior Center, 93 Winchester St. 10:00-11:00 AM.

Pandemic Flu Planning
Session hosted by the Brookline Public Health Nurse. Open to public at Sussman House, 50 Pleasant Street, 11:00 AM. Snacks and prizes. Event repeats on Tuesday, April 8.

Monday, April 14
Symposium and Samples
Symposium on the new Trans Fat regulation, Brookline Food Establishments are invited to attend a symposium about the new Trans Fat regulation. Hosted by Newbury College, 3:00 PM.

SAVE THE DATE: Lynne Karsten, Director of Community Health, announced that Brookline will host an additional public health event in May. On Sunday, May 18, 2008, the Town will celebrate fitness with a community bike ride along Beacon Street to be followed by a Fitness Fair at Amory Park. The half- hour bike parade will be led by the Brookline Bikes and the Brookline Police Department. The Fitness Fair will include fitness demonstrations, Frisbee golf, tennis and soccer clinics, yoga, and pilates ,plus give-always and healthy food to sample.

For Immediate Release: March 20, 2008
For further information: Lynne Karsten or Lauren Faehl, 617-730-2300