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| Copyright  The Case Foundation, 2008. All Rights Reserved. |
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Making Health Our Own
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It is usual to have a respected community leader open the Health Counts Community Conversation. Here, Ward Nelson, the Chair of the county's Health Committee, provides context for the forum.
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Initially, everyone gathers together as the facilitator talks about the framework for the forum. The group also reconvenes together after small group discussions have taken place in order to share insights and themes.
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The participants set the agenda at our public forums.There are no formal presenters and there is no set agenda. Participants post topics they are interested in discussing.
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The one law of Open Space Technology is that everyone has the right to move on if a particular discussion is not resonating. Participants sometimes move to another discussion group or over to the refreshment table to have an informal discussion with someone or for some meditative space.
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These are the principles of Open Space Technology that we use for our public forums. We call these forums HEALTH COUNTS COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
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Here's one little corner of Whatcom County--Sprague Lake from kayak view. Whatcom County is truly one of the most beautiful areas of our country. Many Making Health Our Own participants say that clean water is one of our most pressing health priorities--one worthy of substantial investment.
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Coalitions, such as the Whatcom Physical Activity Coalition, inspire citizen participation and create wonderful wellness opportunities for children and their families asshown in this photo from the summer 2007 Get Movin' kick-off.
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Bellingham Bay is one of the many premier recreational areas in Whatcom County. Bellingham was named one of the top 10 cities for outdoor adventures by Adventure Magazine. The availability of pristine outdoor environments fosters physical activity and healthy lifestyles here in our corner of the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
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