Town hall health reform meeting set

The Center for Rural Affairs along with 18 other organizations will host a health care reform town meeting in Helena on Monday.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. Helena College of Technology, 1115 N. Roberts St., room 208. Meetings also will be held in eight other Montana communities and will be linked by teleconference.

The meeting will touch on the latest health care reform proposals and their status.

Steph Larsen, policy organizer with the Center for Rural Affairs, said, health care reform must address the needs of rural communities, and the meeting will allow rural people to voice their concerns.

Youth fun run, health fair set for Aug. 18

St. Peter's and New West Health Services Capital Classic Fun Run, a one-mile fun run for youth of all ages, will be Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 3:30 p.m. The run will begin near the State Capitol at the intersection of Montana and Broadway and follow Broadway to the hospital.

The hospital and New West Health Services sponsor the annual event for youth to help provide awareness of the importance of exercise and healthy habits. Prior to the start of the race there will be stretching and warm ups presented by St. Peter's Physical Therapy department. Carroll and other area athletes will accompany youth on their run to the hospital, where cool down activities, refreshments, and a free back-to-school health fair with presentations will be offered.

Youth registering for the noncompetitive run will receive a free T-shirt. There is no entry fee. At the health fair, students will receive an insulated lunch bag and many giveaways and educational information.

Register for the "Capital Classic Fun Run" by July 15 at www.stpetes.org, or call 444-2135.

Three-day tobacco summit starts today

Teen activists from throughout Montana will gather for the fourth annual reACT Teen Summit today through Thursday at Carroll College to learn ways to take action against corporate tobacco companies.

ReACT is the state's youth-led movement dedicated to exposing and opposing the tobacco industry. Its mission is to spread the knowledge that teens are being targeted by corporate tobacco companies. The program is offered through the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MTUPP) of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

The three-day conference includes presentations from some of the nation's top anti-tobacco advocates and covers topics such as:

For more information on reACT or the 2009 Teen Summit visit www.reactmt.com or call Kintop at 444-7896.

Mended Hearts barbecue picnic set

The next meeting of Mended Hearts Chapter 96 will be a summer picnic at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Barney Park.

Those planning to attend are asked to call Jim

Barfknecht at 442-2627.

Member Walt O'Hara will provide a barbecue dinner and guests are asked to bring a salad, beans, casserole, dessert and something to drink.

The Helena Chapter of Mended Hearts offers encouragement and support to heart patients and their families. For details, call Rich Palmer at 461-4014.

Training program for young athletes set

St. Peter's Hospital's Physical Therapy Department is offering a two-week core training program for athletes ages 9 to 14 years..

The goal of Fit to Play is to reduce the likelihood of injuries sustained by young athletes while improving athletic performance. Parents and coaches are invited to participate.

The program will run Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 14-23, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The cost is $45 per student and a discount is offered to additional family members. Financial assistance is available through St. Peter's Hospital Foundation.

The two-week class includes upper and lower extremity training, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and strength training. Instructors include physical therapist Christy Rusdal and Physical Therapy Assistant Tim Casey.

The program is open to middle and high school athletes from all sports, as well as cheerleading, dance and other activities.

For more information, or to register, contact Tim Casey at 447-2624 or tcasey@stpetes.org.