Lt. Governor’s Challenge award nominations due March 15

The Lt. Governor’s Challenge is accepting nominations for its spring 2019 awards through 11:59 p.m, Friday, March 15.

The challenge, which kicked off in October, is an ongoing opportunity for Delawareans to embrace healthier living, inspire their peers to do the same and be recognized for their achievements.

“Poor diet and physical inactivity are two of the most important health issues affecting weight and poor health outcomes in the state of Delaware,” said Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long. “The Lt. Governor’s Challenge is an opportunity for individuals to change this. Whether you nominate yourself, a group you are involved in, or one that you think deserves it, we encourage you to share the story in the hopes of inspiring others to take steps toward healthier living.”

An individual can nominate him or herself, a group or organization with which they are affiliated, or a group or organization with which they’re not involved but that they believe exemplifies the promotion and practice of healthier living. All nominations must be submitted online at https://ltgovernorschallenge.org. No mail-in nominations will be accepted.

Before starting the nomination process, it’s important to identify the area of focus from emotional well-being, healthy living, chronic disease management or prevention, or mother-and-child health; and the community category from individual, workplace, school, or community, town, city, or neighborhood with a shared interest that is most deserving of the Lt. Governor’s Challenge nomination. These two factors will determine a nominee’s profile and ensure that the selection committee considers the nominee in the best possible context for recognition.

Nominations will consist of several short-form narratives of no more than 300 words for each question, explaining why the nominee exemplifies the mission of the Lt. Governor’s Challenge.

“This challenge provides participants the opportunity to demonstrate how everyone can help to make healthy choices for ourselves, our families and for others in various settings in Delaware,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, Division of Public Health director. “We are very excited to partner with the lieutenant governor to inspire Delawareans to embrace healthier living and improve health outcomes in the state.”

Today’s Lt. Governor's Challenge has its roots in the vision of former Lt. Gov. John Carney, who is now governor. Inspired by Carney’s mission to address physical activity and fitness levels of youth and adults, as well as her own dedication to improving the quality of life for all Delawareans, Hall-Long aims to reinvigorate the challenge in order to elevate the well-being, productivity and prosperity of the state.

Through its efforts, the Lt. Governor’s Office discovered that many people, in various communities statewide, were already making efforts to live better, and in doing so, were influencing change in others. The office established this event to shed light on this effort. These initiatives further promote policy, system and environmental change strategies, and thereby mobilize even more residents to join the journey to a healthier Delaware.

For more information or to submit a nomination, go to https://ltgovernorschallenge.org.