BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) –
Beckley Appalachian Regional Healthcare Hospital prioritizes West Virginia’s health by focusing on healthy, locally produced food.
To help promote healthy eating, ARH hospital hosted a Food is Medicine Day and Farmers Market.
The event took place behind the hospital and featured local businesses, live music, a cooking demonstration, and a roundtable discussion.
ARH Regional Community Development Manager Kelly Elkins Says “We recognize that we live in a world of convenience, where the easiest decisions are not always the healthiest decisions. We want to change that and one way to do that is to knock down the barriers that might prevent someone from making healthier food choices.”
During the event, West Virginia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt signed a proclamation affirming the department’s partnership with ARH in promoting food is medicine in Southern West Virginia.
Leonhardt shares how West Virginia agriculture creates good health.
“ We know that West Virginia agriculture’s good health. It’s good health for the individual. It’s good health for the economy and if you really think about it, we don’t have to worry about transportation and all. It’s good health for the environment as well, not using the fuels to transport. So, it’s a win-win for everybody, and there’s no other industry that can claim that kind of good health for all three categories,” said Leonhardt.
Elkins says that next year the event should return bigger and better.
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