Governor Rendell Proclaims Older Pennsylvanians' Nutrition Awar...(up for his weeklynewsletter visit A HREF...),Health

EDITOR'S NOTE: The text of Governor Rendell's proclamation follows:

OLDER PENNSYLVANIANS' NUTRITION AWARENESS WEEK

March 10-14, 2008

WHEREAS, March is National Nutrition Month; and

WHEREAS, Area Agencies on Aging and Senior Community Centers will be celebrating this year's theme "Nutrition: It's a Matter of Fact" for National Nutrition Month and "Eat Well, Stay Active, Live Longer" for Older Pennsylvanians Nutrition Awareness Week; and

WHEREAS, food is the substance by which life is sustained; and

WHEREAS, the type, quality and amount of food that older individuals consume each day plays a vital role in their overall health and functionality; and

WHEREAS, more than $64 million is spent annually by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging on nutrition services programs in Pennsylvania such as home delivered meals, congregate meals at senior centers, nutrition education and nutrition screening; and

WHEREAS, approximately 10 million meals are served to more than 168,000 seniors in Pennsylvania annually; and

WHEREAS, home-delivered and congregate meals provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Aging contain one-third of the recommended nutritional needs of older persons; and

WHEREAS, home-delivered and congregate meals are provided at least once a day, five days a week; and

WHEREAS, community based, volunteer programs are also providing nutritious home-delivered meals across the commonwealth;

THEREFORE, I, Edward G. Rendell, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do hereby proclaim March 10-14, 2008, as OLDER PENNSYLVANIANS' NUTRITION AWARENESS WEEK. I encourage all citizens to celebrate the significant contributions to all older Pennsylvanians and to help older adults to lead healthier and more active lives to contrib
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