Photo by Mary Alice Murphy: Tony Trujillo holds his Ben Altamirano Grant County Community Health Council Member of the Year Award. Priscilla Lucero, co-chair, is on the left. Second from right is Tiffany Knauf, GCCHC coordinator, and at right is Gary Stailey, co-chair. (Two other Health Council award winners are pictured on the Photo Essay Page.)

The Grant County Community Health Council held its annual banquet on Tuesday evening, in conjunction with the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities program.

Health Council co-chairs Priscilla Lucero and Gary Stailey welcomed attendees.

Dr. Don Johnson, who has served as the director of the HKHC program announced that Andrea Sauer, who has been the coordinator of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant, would become the director.

Phil Bores and Mark Dessauer were in attendance at the banquet as the project officers from Active Living by Design. The group was hired to give the RWJF grants. They had come to Silver City to meet with the coordinator and director.

Bores said the intent for HKHC is to change environments toward healthy food habits. The program encourages collaboration efforts and likes to see resources leveraged. “We are looking for identity around issues of getting children to eat healthy and for the program to leave a positive footprint.”

He said Grant County fits well with the 49 other sites, some of which are in urban communities and others in rural areas.

Bores listed a few of the HKHC accomplishments in Grant County, including having instituted one of only three food policy councils in the state, development of a multi-trail system, putting new language in the Silver City Land Use Code about community gardens, getting the use of EBT cards at the farmers markets, and bringing local fresh produce to the Cobre School cafeterias.

“I brag on you when I visit other communities, and I refer other communities to you for advice,” Bores said, and then presented a large bouquet of flowers to Sauer.

Johnson introduced Mark Winne, who has been involved in food policy issues for many years. The Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Community Enhancement Fund, overseen by the Health Council, sponsored Winne's trip to the area. Winne spoke earlier in the afternoon to an audience at the Cobre Performing Arts Auditorium.

Winne said food is about the community trying to figure out how to do something, and a lot of discussions and decisions are made around a table with food at the center.

“In the wealthiest nation in the world, we have a 15 percent hunger and food insecurity,” Winne said. “That's a serious issue.”

He also addressed the fast food craze and the obesity and overweight problem among children and adults.

“This may be the first generation of children who do not live longer than their parents,” Winne said. “Twenty-three million people live in food deserts, where they have to go long distances to get food. We're losing prime farm and ranch land to development.”

He pointed out Grant County's food security is no longer reliant on local food. “You are dependent on global food distribution. We question whether we should have let the food infrastructure get away from us. We gave away our self-reliance for dependence. We are coming together to say we have a stake in our food system.”

He said more diversity is needed. “We need more democracy. Everyone needs a seat at the table of food security, with as many points of view as possible.”

As far as Winne knows, the Food Policy Council in Grant County is one of the most rural ones.

“We need to discuss how to better coordinate food and we need the government's help,” Winne said. “We have to document the gaps and needs.”

Grant County has conducted a food assessment, which is the precursor to developing a work plan and creating actions, including addressing the area's transportation of food, food purchasing in schools and hospitals, and looking at agricultural and food distribution infrastructure.

“Most institutions want to hang onto the status quo,” Winne said. “I can tell you this. Communities who don't adapt to changes; they decay.”

He mentioned the three Ps projects, partners and policy, with policy still being the weakest.

“Most people take food for granted,” Winne said. “Communities who don't plan for their food system will be left at the mercy of others.

“Get your hands in the dirt, food on the chopping blocks and your voices down to city hall,” Winne said. “Don't let others tell you that you have no choice. The only choice you have is not to choose. Ensure a place at the table for everyone.”

Tiffany Knauf, GCCHC coordinator, presented a special award to assistant coordinator, Kendra Milligan, who helped Knauf get up and running in her position.

Lucero presented the Above-and-Beyond Award to Alan Berg, for his extraordinary help in assessing for asbestos in burned homes after the Quail Ridge Fire, and getting the asbestos disposed of, so debris from the homes could be removed.

“I had exhausted all my resources, and I have a lot of resources,” Lucero said of her position at the Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments.

Stailey announced the Ben Altamirano Member of the Year Award winner, Tony Truillo.

Melanie Goodman read a letter from Sen. Jeff Bingaman, and Marco Grajeda read a letter from Sen. Tom Udall.

Sauer and Bores presented HKHC awards.

Partner of the Year went to Alicia Edwards of The Volunteer Center.

The Promotion Award went to the Walkability Accessibility and Advocacy Group and the Bicycle Advocacy Group. Jamie Thompson accepted the award on behalf of the two groups, of which he is a member.

The Policy Award went to Commissioner Christy Miller, who was unable to attend. Grant County Manager Jon Paul Saari accepted it on her behalf.

The HKHC Leadership Award went to Johnson.

Eat Your Heart Out catered the event.