Trailnet works with Get Healthy De Soto to encourage healthier and more active lifestyles in De Soto through our Healthy & Active Communities Initiative. Together we have passed Missouri's first Complete Streets policy in De Soto and launched the De Soto Farmers' Market--the first in Jefferson County.
But Get Healthy De Soto's work doesn't stop there. From helping establish community gardens to creating a Better Body Challenge, Get Healthy De Soto has had a positive impact on De Soto.
KSDK Channel 5 recently did a story highlighting Get Healthy De Soto's good work. Watch the video above to learn more about the wonderful strides Get Healthy De Soto has made to make De Soto a healthier community.
Photo Credit: Project for Public Spaces, www.pps.org
This week the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee released its draft of the transportation bill, called the Surface Transportation Authorization Act to unanimous approval. Although the overall bill is expected to ultimately include around $450-500 billion over six years, no funding levels are included for any program at this point. The bill is instead meant to outline the new structure for surface transportation programs and policy changes and includes establishing new leadership in a new division of the Federal Highway Administration to be called the Office of Livability.
Some Key Responsibilities include:
Authority for Safe Routes to School.
Increasing transportation options and quality of life.
Administering bicycle and pedestrian programs, including Transportation Enhancements, the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, Recreational Trails, Scenic Byways, and the new US Bicycle Route system.
Developing mode share targets and timelines for accomplishing them, compiling best practices and collecting data /doing research on the benefits of Livable Communities with access to walking, biking and public transit.
De Soto is a town of firsts. Working with Get Healthy De Soto through our Healthy & Active Communities Initiative, De Soto passed the first Complete Streets Policy in Missouri. Now, with the launch of the De Soto Farmers' Market, De Soto has become the first city in Jefferson County to have a farmers' market!
The market launched on May 9, 2009 but getting to that day took a lot of work. Originally, the Jefferson County Health Department had concerns about operating the farmers' market without posing health hazards to residents. Trailnet and Get Healthy De Soto were able to work with the Health Department to develop rules and regulations for the market that would satisfy the Health Department's concerns and lead to a thriving farmers' market for De Soto.
The year's worth of planning also included finding sponsors for the market, advertising, securing Market Masters, and most importantly, finding vendors. Trailnet and Get Healthy De Soto worked with Missouri Extension to hold a workshop for potential vendors which proved a success--over 30 potential vendors were in attendance.
The fruits of this labor has resulted in a vibrant farmers' market for De Soto. Though only in its sixth week, the market has had an above average number of vendors and has had a great impact on the community. The market itself is a fun atmosphere where people enjoy meeting up with neighbors. People talk about how great the farmers' market has been for De Soto--even saying it's the best thing that's happened to De Soto.
Even more, the market has had a real impact on the local economy. Farmers, convinced of continued demand for their produce in the future, are already planting crops in anticipation of what they would want to sell at the market in the coming years. One gentleman, who lost his job, decided to become a vendor at the market. On his first day he made enough money to not only feed his family for the week, but for the following weeks along with some leftover for paying bills.
We are just beginning to see all of the positive impacts the De Soto Farmers' Market will have on De Soto and cannot wait to experience more. We'll keep you posted!
About Trailnet's Healthy & Active Communities Initiative
Our work focuses at the policy, built-environment, and social levels to produce the farthest-reaching and longest-term solutions to the obesity epidemic. We are working with organizations and institutions throughout the St. Louis region to create model Healthy and Active Communities.
Caption: Get Healthy De Soto champion, Debby Campbell talks with KSDK's Kay Quinn
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