Editor, The Herald:

I would like to address the community as a concerned citizen, a parent and as a volunteer on the School Health Advisory Board (SHAB) of Prince Edward County. My purpose is to let families of our community know about SHAB and to familiarize them with the mission of the mandated group. All public schools are required to have a SHAB Committee and I feel it would be advantageous for all schools to have a group grounded in the health and well-being of faculty and students. Our goal is not to be the cookie police, but to create and enforce a Wellness Policy for the school that outlines rules for all to observe, such as healthy snack suggestions, selecting fund-raisers other than candy and not using unhealthy food as rewards in the classroom.

We all expect our children to learn and perform, yet too often forget the relationship of feeding the body to feeding the mind. We all need the proper fuel to be able to think and learn. My firm belief is when we, as a community, focus on what we feed our bodies, our minds will reach even greater heights. Let's all soar together! Get involved in your local SHAB.

The next SHAB meeting for Prince Edward County is October 20th. If you are interested in attending or creating your own SHAB Committee for your school, please contact me, 804-307-9608, hmnsva@gmail.com.

To health and well-being,

Allison Crews

Jetersville