SAN ANTONIO – The Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County will present its 2011 Master Wellness Volunteer training July 11-Aug. 3 at its offices, 3355 Cherry Ridge Dr., Suite 208, San Antonio.
Training will take place from 5:30-9:30 p.m. on July 11, 13, 18 and 20, and on Aug. 1 and 3. The deadline for registration is July 1.
“Participants in Master Wellness training receive 40 hours of health and wellness education,” said Dr. Connie Sheppard, AgriLife Extension agent for family and consumer sciences and Bexar County wellness volunteer training coordinator. “And once they graduate, they’re required to give at least 40 hours of volunteer service back to the community.”
Sheppard said the training will focus on basic nutrition and dietary guidelines, food safety, health education, weight management, health and nutrition trends, public speaking, food preparation and healthy lifestyle choices. Training will be provided by experts from AgriLife Extension.
“This program provides training for volunteers who will go out in the community to give Bexar County residents objective, science-based information needed to make healthy lifestyle choices,” Sheppard said. “Volunteers are critical to helping us deliver our wellness programming to the community.”
She said while health and wellness professionals are among the county’s current Master Wellness volunteers, the training and program participation are open to adults of all professional and non-professional backgrounds.
“We also have social workers, homemakers, students and retired people in our program,” she said. “All our volunteers need is the desire to learn about health and wellness, and the ability to teach others in the community what they have learned.”
Sheppard said Master Wellness volunteers provide instruction to adults and youth in small group settings, such as community centers, service or volunteer organization locations, schools, churches and businesses.
The cost $50, which covers program materials. Participants receive a binder with copies of all training presentations, as well as healthy recipes to be shared with those in the community.
For more information, go to http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/ or contact Sheppard at 210-467-6575 or csheppar@ag.tamu.edu.
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