To the Editor:

It is National Public Health Week (NPHW) April 4-10, and the Newtown Health District is gratified to join the energy that celebrates Public Health.

Along with the many “Days” “Weeks” or “Months” that are celebrated as we lift up the issues and causes that mean so much to us, we acknowledge that our efforts are all year long. We know where we live impacts our communities’ health, and we work to make our communities healthier, stronger and safer.

We love that the 2022 NPHW theme is “Public Health Is Where You Are” because we know it’s true; the places where we are, physically, mentally, and societally affect our health and our lives.

People who feel supported and included in their communities tend to live longer, respond better to stress, and have stronger immune systems than those who are isolated from their communities. Social and family support and acceptance significantly reduce behavioral health challenges.

Our residents and businesses continue to be invested, with time, heart & money (and blood, sweat, and tears) in the health of the community, to have clean, safe, sanitary, and sustainable environments where we live, work, play, learn, and worship.

This level of commitment allows people, wherever they are in their life span, their health status, their level or types of interests, to avail themselves to many opportunities to pursue and maintain their health, and in the process support their neighbors, their neighborhoods, and the community as a whole.

The past two years have been enormously challenging for our communities, and the Health District knows firsthand that we have come through it all because of the depth of character of our residents and businesses and how much they care about each other.

Good public health is assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy — it takes the public health agency, its community partners and agencies, and all of the community members actively engaged to prevail.

We have that. And I look forward to the coming days, weeks, and months to celebrate that in small and large ways.

I’m feeling grateful and want to say “Public Health is you, too — thank you!”

Donna M. Culbert, MPH, PE, RS

Director of Health — Newtown Health District