Ledger-Dispatch

By Bethany A. Monk (bmonk@ledger-dispatch.com) =

Amador County children enrolled in last = fall's=20 Fun Family Health Projects prepare a meal together during one of = the=20 program's six sessions.

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch
You don't have to be Rachael = Ray - you=20 just have to show up ready to cook and have some fun.

The = University of=20 California Cooperative Extension is offering two fun family health = sessions open=20 to all ages but geared to youth ages 9 to 12 years old. Those who sign = up to=20 participate in the program will learn and practice cooking skills, get = to eat=20 their creations and also play games during each session. The Fun Family = Health=20 Projects will offer two sessions - each will meet once a week for six = weeks. The=20 first session will run Fridays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Jan 23 though = March 27 at=20 the Ione Community Methodist Church in Ione; the other session will meet = Sundays=20 from 1 to 3 p.m. from Jan. 25 through April 1 at the Sutter Creek = Community=20 Building in Sutter Creek. Both sessions are free and open to the public. =

Nan Lippitt, a community health program representative at the = University=20 of California, Davis, is spearheading the programs. She ran two Fun = Family=20 Health Projects in the fall in Amador, and said they went over very = well. "We=20 basically have fun playing and learning," she told the Ledger Dispatch.=20

She said that active play is good and that youth need to have = some=20 spontaneity in their day. "(Playing) doesn't have to be through a sports = team."

The family fun projects include several interactive, = engaging=20 activities, Lippitt said. Participants will learn simple cooking = techniques=20 "which can help them feel more comfortable in the kitchen" and pick up = some=20 healthy eating tips.

The projects are sponsored via a CORE issue = grant=20 through the University of California. Lippitt will be observing = participants and=20 their interactions to help support her research projects that focus on=20 "involvement of youth only, compared to a family approach" regarding=20 interaction.

Families or individuals interested in participating = in one=20 of the six-week projects can call Lippitt at (530) 754-9651 for = registration=20 information. Participants will need to attend each of the six = consecutive=20 classes in their respective (Friday or Sunday) session.

Feedback = from=20 Family Fun participants in the fall was very positive, Lippitt said. =

The=20 bottom line is to have fun. "You don't have to be esoteric," or an = expert chef,=20 she said.

The Fun Family Projects are open to residents of both = Amador=20 and Calaveras counties. For more information about other programs = offered=20 through the Amador County UC Davis Cooperative Extension, call 223-6842 = or visit=20 www.ceamador.ucdavis.edu.

Bethany A. = Monk