Chipley Kiwanis Club Receives Update on Chipola Healthy Start 

Chipley, FL, Tuesday, June 1, 2010.  At the weekly club luncheon on Tuesday, June 1st, the Kiwanis Club received heard Mr. John West present a summary of information about Chipola Healthy Start.  Healthy Start is a public-private partnership which focuses on improving infant mortality and low birth weight babies for the residents of Holmes, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun and Liberty Counties. It partners with County Health Departments to provide risk screening and prenatal services to low income mothers.

The Florida Legislature created the Healthy Start Program in 1991 as a way to address Florida’s alarmingly high infant mortality rate.  Chipola Healthy Start was established in 1993. 

Mr. West presented some alarming statistics.  One in eight babies, or about 500,000 each year is born premature in the U.S.  Of those, about 28,000 die in their first year of life.  The U.S ranks 33rd in the world in infant mortality.  In the U.S., Florida ranks 29th among the states.  Nationally, 8.1% of births are premature while counties in Chipola’s are range from 13-17%. 

The counties served by Chipola Healthy Start are higher generally than state averages for low birth weight babies.  Lack of pre-natal care is a contributing factor for low birth-weight babies.  Other factors can also affect the health of the baby.  Underweight mothers are 72% more likely to miscarry.  Obese mothers are 48% more likely to have an overweight child.  In Washington County, 18.5 % of mothers are underweight and 18% are obese.

The age of the mother can also be a factor in the birth.  The percentage of teen pregnancies (age 15-19) ranges from 14 to 22% in Holmes, Washington and Jackson counties..  Births for mothers ages 10-14 are also rising.  Key issues for mothers in these age groups are low self-esteem and lack of a father for the child.  In Washington County, 42% of mothers are unwed. 

Smoking increases risks for newborns in may categories.  This is true whether the mother smokes or is exposed to second-had smoke.  In Washington County, 21.3% of mothers are smokers.  Mr. West made the point that if smoking and other drugs were eliminated, infant mortality and low birth-weight problems would drop dramatically.

Waiting 18-23 months after birth to have the next child is best for the subsequent baby’s health.  This amount of time allows the mother’s body to recover from the first birth.

Several presentations were also made during the meeting.  Zedra Hawkins, Children’s Librarian at the Washington County received a check from the Del Corbin of the Sponsored Youth Committee for the Summer Reading Program.  Registration for the Reading Program begins June 3rd.  The Reading Store will be open and children in the Summer Reading Program can receive a “Library Buck” for ever 100 minutes of reading.  They can purchase items in the Store and be entered in a drawing for prizes.

Washington Holmes Technical Center received two checks.  The first was from the Club Scholarship Committee for the WHTC Foundation Scholarship program.  Thirty-one students currently receive scholarships from the WHTC Foundation.  The second check was from the Sponsored Youth Committee in support of Skills USA, a competition in which WHTC students compete in the skills which they have learned at WHTC.

Finally, David Solger, Chairman of the Membership Committee, inducted Jeff Goodman as a new member of the Club.  Jeff was sponsored by Wayland Fulford.  Jeff is an attorney who opened his law office recently in

Chipley.  Jeff has roots in Holmes and Calhoun Counties and is married to the former Melissa Bell and they have two children.  Jeff was formerly Assistant General Manager in charge of contract negotiations for the Denver Broncos.  He also was a member of a large law firm in Birmingham, Alabama.  

The Kiwanis Club of Chipley is in its 69th year of providing support to youth oriented events and programs and last year supported 36 organizations throughout the county.  The next fund raising event will be the 55th Annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, Thursday, June 10th, at Kate Smith Elementary School from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.  The club meets Tuesdays at Pattillo’s Restaurant in the middle of the Washington-Holmes County Technical Center (WHTC) at Noon.   For an invitation to lunch, contact any Kiwanian or call Mark Collins, Membership Chairperson, at (850) 258-9453.