The challenge encourages participants to track the time they spend outside, with a goal of accumulating 570 hours over the next year, which averages to about 11 hours per week.
The definition of "outdoors" is flexible and can include activities such as sports, recreation, attending concerts, having picnics, and more. For the next year, Schuylkill County residents of all ages are invited to enjoy the outdoors doing what they love.
VISION has teamed up with Lehigh Valley Health Network to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment for Schuylkill County.
VISION has teamed up with Lehigh Valley Health Network to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment for Schuylkill County.
This assessment, required every three years for all nonprofit health systems, collects data from various sources including health systems, local, state, and national data, as well as interviews with community leaders and conversations within the community.
Since 2013, VISION has been addressing important issues identified through these assessments via their Healthy Schuylkill Communities (HSC) program.
The primary aim of HSC is to promote healthy eating habits and increase opportunities for physical activity. One of the ways they do this is by working with communities to evaluate infrastructure for active transportation, advocating for plans and policies that make it easier for residents to access essential services by walking, cycling, or using public transit, organizing walking groups, participating in community events, and creating programs to promote physical activity.
Additionally, over the next year, they will focus on improving bikeability in Schuylkill County communities through various initiatives such as walk/bike audits, bike rodeos/traffic garden events, and community surveys. This biking project, called Schuylkill on the Move: Biking, has received funding from a League of American Bicyclists Community Spark grant, making VISION one of only 15 organizations nationwide to receive this grant.
The 570 GO project aims to not only promote outdoor activity but also encourage socialization and a sense of community.
The 570 GO project aims to not only promote outdoor activity but also encourage socialization and a sense of community.
Suggestions will be provided for social gatherings, identifying third places (locations for socializing outside of home and work/school), and getting involved within communities.
According to the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 advisory on the effects of social connection and community, about half of U.S. adults report experiencing loneliness, with young adults being particularly affected. Lack of social connection can have serious health consequences, increasing the risk of premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
Given the impact of both physical inactivity and social isolation on overall health and premature death rates, the 570 GO project aims to provide opportunities for individuals to improve their health outcomes by increasing positive health factors.
The official launch of 570 GO will take place on May 7, 2024, which is celebrated in the region as 570 Day, highlighting all that the 570 area code has to offer. Throughout the year, ideas and community outdoor events and activities will be shared to encourage people to get moving and socialize outdoors regardless of the season.
All Schuylkill County residents are invited and encouraged to participate in 570 GO. Tracking worksheets with 570 squares, one for each hour of the project, can be obtained from Schuylkill VISION, Explore Schuylkill, Schuylkill YMCA, participating libraries, or by printing them from the events page on the Schuylkill VISION website. Participants who return their completed worksheets between March 31, 2025, and May 31, 2025, will be eligible to receive a special gift from Explore Schuylkill, one of the project's partners.
Special thanks are extended to key partners Lehigh Valley Health Network-Schuylkill and Explore Schuylkill, as well as community partners Schuylkill YMCA and participating libraries for their support.
Given the impact of both physical inactivity and social isolation on overall health and premature death rates, the 570 GO project aims to provide opportunities for individuals to improve their health outcomes by increasing positive health factors.
The official launch of 570 GO will take place on May 7, 2024, which is celebrated in the region as 570 Day, highlighting all that the 570 area code has to offer. Throughout the year, ideas and community outdoor events and activities will be shared to encourage people to get moving and socialize outdoors regardless of the season.
All Schuylkill County residents are invited and encouraged to participate in 570 GO. Tracking worksheets with 570 squares, one for each hour of the project, can be obtained from Schuylkill VISION, Explore Schuylkill, Schuylkill YMCA, participating libraries, or by printing them from the events page on the Schuylkill VISION website. Participants who return their completed worksheets between March 31, 2025, and May 31, 2025, will be eligible to receive a special gift from Explore Schuylkill, one of the project's partners.
Special thanks are extended to key partners Lehigh Valley Health Network-Schuylkill and Explore Schuylkill, as well as community partners Schuylkill YMCA and participating libraries for their support.