MUSC Urban Farm to host Food Day: 10/19

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MUSC Urban Farm to host Food Day

Food Day is a nationwide celebration of a movement toward a more healthy, affordable and sustainable food culminating in a day of action on Oct. 24 each year.

Created by the nonprofit, Center for Science in the Public Interest and driven by a diverse coalition of food movement leaders and citizens, Food Day aims to bring people closer to a food system that is produced with care for the environment, animals, and the women and men who grow, harvest and serve it.

Foods eaten should bolster health, but the contemporary American diet is contributing to several hundred thousand premature deaths from heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer each year. The way food is produced is often harmful to farm and food workers, the environment and farm animals. The American food system has created a diet of processed packaged foods, high-calorie, sugary drinks and fast-food made of white bread, fatty grain-fed factory-farmed meat and fries.

Food Day aims to transform the American diet. To help "Feed the Need" in the Charleston area, the Office of Health Promotion is collecting non-perishable items to be donated to the Lowcountry Food Bank.

Bring items to the farm Oct. 24 or drop off items in bins located in the following locations: Colbert Education Center & Library lobby; Ashley River Tower cafeteria; university hospital cafeteria; Harborview Office Tower lobby; MUSC Urban Farm and Wellness Center lobby.

In honor of Food Day 2012, Ann Kulze, M.D., is offering a free webinar from noon to 1 p.m. In the webinar, "Eat Right for Life – All the Right Foods," Kulze will take listeners through the most scientifically validated means to fully leverage the glorious goodness in whole foods to make the rest of your life the best of your life. Visit http://www.drannwellness.com/news-details.cfm?NewsID=134 to learn more and sign up.

MUSC's Fall Fun Festival, Oct. 24

Pumpkin Painting and Contest: Employees and students are encouraged to decorate a pumpkin from noon to 2 p.m., Oct. 24. A panel of local celebrities will be judging the painted pumpkins at 2:15 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to winners.
Pumpkin Bake-Off: Recipe submission deadline is 5 p.m., Oct. 19. Baked goods will be judged based on taste, appearance and nutritional value. Submit your recipes to urbanfarm@musc.edu. If you have any questions about recipes, email carjan@musc.edu. Pumpkin goodies must be dropped off by 2 p.m. at the Urban Farm. Judging will begin at 2:30 p.m. Provide enough samples for10 judges. Prizes will be awarded to winners.
Celebrity Pumpkin Carving Contest: Cheer on local celebrities as they compete to see who can come up with the most creative design using the MUSC letters or logo and food. Judging will begin at 2:45 p.m.
Pumpkin Seed Spitting Contest: The pumpkin seed spitting contest will be held from 3 – 3:30 p.m. Each contestant gets three tries to launch a seed the farthest distance. Winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m.
Charleston Trident Dietetic Association and Les Dames D'Escoffier present "Healthy Tips and Local Treats" from 4 – 6:30 p.m. Join Charleston area dietitians as they discuss the health benefits of dishes created with local produce.

MUSC Employee Wellness events
q Worksite screening: The next screening will be held from 7 – 11 a.m., Oct. 24, university hospital, 2West classroom. This screening, valued at about $350, is available to employees with the State Health Plan for $15 (covered spouses can also participate for $15). Employees and spouses without this insurance can participate for $42. The screening includes: height, weight, blood pressure and a blood draw for a blood chemistry profile, hemogram, and a blood lipid profile. Visit www.musc.edu/employeewellness and click Worksite Screening.

Flu shot satellite clinic: Flu shots will be given from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Oct. 31 in the Children's Hospital lobby. For faster service, bring completed influenza consent form, found in My Records.
Farmers markets: Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Thursday behind the Drug Discovery Building, and from 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Friday at the horseshoe and the area next to Ashley River Tower.
Work & Learns: An introduction to vermicomposting will be held from noon – 1 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Urban Farm. Take home some fresh produce in return for work efforts on the farm. Email urbanfarm@musc.edu to register.
Family Work & Learn: Visit the Urban Farm for this child friendly series at 9 a.m., Oct. 20. Participants can engage in hands-on learning about sustainable urban agriculture including stewardship, planting, and harvesting. Bring a plastic bag and take home some fresh produce in return for work efforts on the farm. Open to everyone. Email urbanfarm@musc.edu.
Early bird maintenance: The Urban Farm needs volunteers to help maintain its growing crop. Volunteers are needed from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m., Oct. 23 and 24.

Email johnsusa@musc.edu for information on the Office of Health Promotion and Suzan Benenson Whelan at whela@musc.edu for information about Employee Wellness.

Friday, Oct. 19, 2012

The Catalyst Online is published weekly by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. The Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to The Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.