Of nearly 2,000 children throughout Fall River who agreed to cut back or eliminate soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages over the summer of 2011, 44% signed a pledge form saying that they would only drink milk or water. Those 1,956 pledge forms were then displayed over the summer at Government Center. A kick-off event was held on June 2nd at John J. Doran Elementary School, followed by a table at the CD-Rec Kick-off to Summer event on June 25th at Ruggles Park. Children in the 21st Century programs at the Greene Elementary School heard a presentation on the topic on August 4th, and children at the Boys and Girls Club Camp Welch heard about the campaign on August 10th. These four presentations were each accompanied by the opportunity to sign a pledge form printed by Saint Anne's Hospital.  "We wanted to engage children in the process of thinking about what they drink and whether it's good for them," stated Healthy City Fall River coordinator David S. Weed, Psy.D. Project leader Pat Bebo of the University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program pointed out that sugar has no nutritional value and is a food that should be consumed only occasionally. School Wellness coordinator Marcia Picard added that children will be learning more about the importance of avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages in their health classes during the school year. Click here for the article in the Fall River Spirit. For more information about the topic, go to the Soda-free Summer Pledge Campaign web page or contact Dr. Weed at 508-324-2411. 

(Top row) School Wellness coordinator Marcia Picard talks talks with the students from the 21st Century program at the Doran School about the Soda-free Summer Pledge campaign while United Neighbors of Fall River executive director Wendy Garf-Lipp serves the children sample of  water chilled with fresh frozen strawberries. (Middle row, left and right) Seven-year-old Kiara Almeida filled out a pledge form held by her mother, Heather, at the Healthy City table at the CD-REC Kick-off to Summer while Dr. Weed talks with people who signed a pledge to reduce or eliminate soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages for the summer. (Middle row, center) Dr. Weed adds some pledge forms to the nearly 2,000 on display in the Government Center lobby. (Bottom row) Dr. Weed demonstrates the amount of sugar contained in a two-liter bottle of soda for children at the Greene School and at Camp Welch.