The Crunch Heard Round the World
Central Ohio
Asks Community to Bite an Apple on October 12 at noon for Great Lakes Great
Apple Crunch Day
[COLUMBUS-OH] It’s
fall; time to leave the gym and do some crunches –apple style. Join Columbus
City Council, Franklin County Commissioners, Franklin County Public Health and
Ohio Farm to School by taking a bite out of an apple during Fourth Annual Great
Lakes Great Apple Crunch Day on Thursday, October 12 at noon.
The
Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch is a time to celebrate local farmers and
highlight locally grown produce. These groups are biting into Ohio grown apples
donated by the Ohio Apple Growers Marketing Program and posting to social media
using the hashtag #greatapplecrunch.
The
goal is to surpass the one million crunch mark set last year.
“What
a wonderful way to bring awareness and access to healthy fruits,” said Columbus
City Council President Pro Tem Priscilla Tyson. “The Local Food Action Plan
continues to find ways to meet the growing need of local, healthy food for all
of our neighborhoods.”
Columbus
City Council presented a resolution to Ohio Farm to School Director Carol
Smathers for the work of The Ohio State University Extension’s work in the
field.
“Students
across central Ohio are now enjoying Ohio-grown apples in their lunches. As
kids crunch into local apples together they will also learn more about where
their food comes from,” said Smathers.
Columbus
YMCA, Columbus City Schools, numerous Franklin County school districts and
early child care centers are joining schools, colleges, businesses and
organizations across the Great Lakes Region states of Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio in celebrating the Great Lakes Great Apple
Crunch.
“Supporting
healthy eating and education in schools is invaluable for students, families
and our communities,” said Joe Mazzola, Health Commissioner, Franklin County
Public Health. “By offering programs such as Farm to School and Ohio Days in
our schools, we give students, staff and the community easier access to
healthy, local and affordable food.”
This
crunch collectively encourages healthy eating, highlights local food purchasing
and supports farm to school initiatives throughout the Great Lakes Region. The
Ohio Apple Growers Marketing Program have donated 6,000 apples to YMCA
preschools for this farm to early care and education initiative in Columbus.
The apples will be distributed at no charge by Himes Vending.
Groups
can participate in the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch on October 12 (or any
date in October) by posting photos of their crunches at #greatapplecrunch.
For
more information visit www.cias.wisc.edu/applecrunch.
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