2011 Southern Plains Conference
On Wednesday, February 16, 2011, more than 110 people attended the 22nd Annual Southern Plains Conference in Nazareth, Texas, to explore the topic: “What Makes Communities Healthy?”
Click here to take a look at our Conference
Membership in the Commonwealth of Health
When it comes to health care, Americans find a lot to argue about these days. But aren’t we missing something vital in these heated debates. Shouldn’t we begin by talking about what we mean by health? Essayist Wendell Berry writes that “community is the smallest measure of health, and that to speak of the health of an isolated individual is a contradiction in terms.”
Starting from this premise, presentations at our Southern Plains Conference explore community health as a participatory work, and an unbreakable circle of interdependent dimensions: environmental, economic, social, physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Join with us as we re-member these dimensions and reacquaint ourselves with the tools necessary to develop an inclusive practice of community health that fits our time.
Conference Highlights:
An innovative and engaging part of this conference was a walking activity (Community Health Observation Teams). The activity involved 100 attendees working in groups of 5, to walk the streets of our host town, visit with local residents, make observations and gather information about 20 different components of community health in Nazareth, TX. By working as Observation Teams, participants learned how to see “what is happening” regarding essential dimensions of community health that form the fabric of any town or city. Each team used a worksheet to guide their observations and information gathering. We have made these worksheets available for downloading as a single .pdf file so that participants and others interested in replicating the activity may gain insight about the concrete realities that make communities healthy.
Community Health Observation Teams Worksheets
Interest was expressed at the conference in the possibility of reviewing a few of the PowerPoint presentations made. The following are links to those presentations.
Elaine Sullivan
Counselor and Educator, Dallas TexasUnderstanding and Appreciating the Development of Wellness
Joann Starr
Christus Health, Nazareth, TexasEducated Health Consumers
Bobby Gierisch
Director, Texas Rural Innovators, Austin, TexasVibrant Local Economies
Paul Martin
Ph.D.,Meal Prayer at lunch
Julie Hodges
MS, Ogallala Commons Education CoordinatorWalking Activity
Fr. Ken Keller
MSW, pastor of Holy Family Church, Nazareth, TexasDealing with Unhealth…the Flipside of Striving for Health
Action Steps:
Here are several short presentations from the Conference that can serve as guides for action and follow-up activities to build community health in your community:Community Forums as a Tool for Community Health
Shannon Kirkland
F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterIntro for Ogallala Commons conference archive
Tabitha King
OC Community Intern, Texas Tech UniversityCommunity Health Profile
Morgan Dezendorf
High Plains Food Bank, Amarillo, TexasHealthy Communities: Nutritious Food and Physical Activity
Chris Sramek
Rawlins County Dental Clinic in Atwood, Atwood, KSRawlins County Dental Clinic in Atwood Story
Sharon Hinton
RN, MSN, FCNParish Nurse Programs
For those of you interested in the booklet given out at the conference, a .pdf version is available below as well as the press release sent out for the event.
22nd Annual Southern Plains Conference Booklet
22nd Annual S.P. Conf. Press Release
Thank you and see you next year at the 23rd Southern Plains Conference
on the commonwealth asset: Wildlife and the Natural World!
22nd Annual Southern Plains Conference Sponsors:
Click logos or text and visit the sites of the organizations that sponsored our conference.
F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health
Texas Farmer’s Union
Castro County Health Care
Swisher Memorial Hospital
Moore Than Medicine 105 SW 2nd Street, Tulia, Texas