Our first ever spring wellness challenge and fundraiser concluded last week! Participants were motivated to get back in the gym, try new foods, and get outside. They also had the chance to win prizes such as a YMCA membership and Whole Foods Gift cards.  One of our Whole Foods gift certificate winners, Maureen Tiberio, wrote to us:

"Thank you! Because I signed up for the challenge, I increased my gym membership level so that I could do exercise classes. I also challenged myself to get to the gym at least twice a week in addition to my 2-mile walk that I do every morning. Although the 5 weeks are over, I will continue these activities."

Congrats Maureen and everyone else who made the commitment to their health this spring. If you missed it this year - we hope to make Fit in 5 an annual tradition. Happy summer! - Pam Hess, Executive Director

Kudos to the Fitzgerald Elementary School on the successful launch of their new school garden. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the school community and especially parent Allison Smith, students are learning about gardens and experiencing the satisfaction of growing vegetables for their school cafeteria. You can read the Waltham News Tribune's article here. Recipes from Healthy Waltham were used by the school cafeteria and Waltham School Nutrition Department for a taste test of the school-grown produce! You can find our recipes for green pizza and light ranch dressing here.

We were very excited to be back at our first Waltham Farmers' Market this summer! On June 25, we partnered with the Waltham Fields Community Farm for a tasting of a salad made with produce from the farm, topped with a zesty lime vinaigrette. Missed it? You can find the recipe on our website! We'll be back on September 10th, so be sure to stop by the market at the corner of Lexington and School Streets. 

Later in the summer, we'll work with the Waltham Fields Community Farm again at their Outreach Market for low income Waltham residents. Chef Reva will be making more food samples to taste using fresh produce from the Farm. We are excited to receive a grant from the Smart Growth Alliance recently that will support our work at these markets.

Help the environment and Healthy Waltham at the same time! Hannaford Supermarket will donate $1 to Healthy Waltham for every reusable "Hannaford Helps" bag purchased in July. Look for the eye-catching bright blue bags at the store located at 55 Russell St. Thanks, Hannaford, for choosing Healthy Waltham as the beneficiary of this program.

We appeared recently on John Peacock and Kelly Hill's Waltham Cable show "Waltham Watches" talking about our programs! Thank you John and Kelly for inviting us on your show. You can view our segment here and catch up on other Waltham news while you're at it. We come on at the 14 minute mark following GWArc, another great organization we partner with frequently.

Back by popular demand! Our City Walks Map created in partnership with the Waltham Land Trust has been updated for this summer. You can download the new version from our website here or pick up a copy from us directly at a public event. The map features four popular walks in Waltham's South Side (with approximate calories burned for each walk). Walking is an easy, no-cost activity, so why not get outside walking today. You'll be glad you did! There are even more Waltham walks posted on the website of the Waltham Land Trust - check them out!