UNC-CH faculty and students to promote health and wellness in Tyrrell County next week

Published 1:05 pm Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Students and faculty from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) will return to Tyrrell County for a spring break service-learning trip March 8-12.

This trip marks the 11th year that a group of students has worked with community partners in Tyrrell County to promote a culture of health and wellness.

The interdisciplinary team includes students from the School of Nursing, the Division of Physical Therapy, and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Plans for the trip include working with elementary/middle and high school students to promote healthy behaviors and physical activity, mentoring high school students about college preparation, making home visits to help decrease the risk of falls and assist with caregiving and mobility challenges, helping at the Emergency Food Closet, building a raised garden and giving a staff in-service at the Tyrrell House, and other community service projects.

The UNC group will be at the Elementary and Middle schools on Monday (3/9) and Tuesday (3/10) throughout the day.

On Wednesday (3/11) from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, the group will be at the Senior Center performing balance screening, assessing risk for falls, reviewing medications and checking blood pressures. Everyone is welcome!

On Thursday (3/12), from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the group will help the Columbia Medical Center with a walk for exercise and helping people learn “How to Make a Healthy Lunch in a Mason Jar.”

The UNC students and faculty are excited about the opportunity to partner with community members and provide meaningful services to the residents of Tyrrell County.