NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Health Department’s Fit NOLA Initiative, Whole Foods Market New Orleans, Rock and Roll NOLA and Athleta announced Nina Red as the recipient of the October 2016 Healthy Hero Award. A “Healthy Hero” is a New Orleanian dedicated to improving the physical and nutritional wellness of their community.
"The Health Department’s Fit NOLA initiative is creating cross-sector partnerships that identify and assist residents with connections to healthy options," said Dr. Jeffrey Elder, interim director of the New Orleans Health Department. “Congratulations to our October winner who joins us in taking action to reach our goal of creating a culture of health in New Orleans.”
Nina is passionate about the New Orleans community and makes it a healthier place. Nina leads Krewe de Lose, a weekly weight-loss health program in which community members learn how eating right and exercising can help them live a healthier life. Her goal is to help participants lead a healthy life, and to be healthy enough to get off medication for diet-related diseases. Participants learn to track their progress with weekly weigh-ins, learn how to keep a food journal, and practice active, healthy lifestyles through free community classes open to all ages.
Nina also teaches line dancing class every Wednesday at the ReFresh Project on Broad St. She invests all her energy in making her classes easy, fun and energizing. She promotes her work through Krewe de Lose’s weekly meetings, and invites her friends, community members and neighbors to be part of this amazing initiative. The classes typically draw about 10 attendees each week. In addition to leading the classes at The ReFresh project, she is also working on starting a line dancing class in the senior building where she lives.
As the October Healthy Hero, Nina will receive recognition from the Fit NOLA partnership, a Whole Foods Market gift card, a shop party held at Athleta, complete with refreshments and a personal FitPro Stylist to service them and up to 25 guests, an "outfit" consisting of a top, bra, and bottom appropriate to work out in, and a complimentary entry into the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans marathon, ½ marathon or 10k races.
Fit NOLA will relaunch the Healthy Hero initiative today for the November nominations. The new application is available and the deadline for entries will be Friday, Nov. 4, 2016.
Fit NOLA & Whole Foods Market together launched Healthy Heroes – a program to celebrate community members leading healthy efforts across New Orleans. The Healthy Hero program will give New Orleans residents an opportunity to receive recognition for their work in creating a culture of health within the metro area. Fit NOLA and Whole Foods Market aim to improve health outcomes for residents by promoting the resources and opportunities to access physical activity and healthy nutritional avenues.
Each month, residents are invited to nominate a Healthy Hero online before the designated deadline for a chance to be selected as that month’s sole winner. Nomination questions focus on the environment Healthy Heroes create for themselves and others. Healthy Heroes who are selected each month will receive recognition from the Fit NOLA partnership, a Whole Foods Market gift card paired with a healthy-eating tour of Whole Foods Market’s Broad Street location, and a complimentary entry into the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans marathon, half marathon or 10k races.
