The class will begin Tuesday, Sept. 5, and participants will meet twice a week for the month of September. Classes will be held on Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Cooperative Extension office located at 138 Pleasant Street in Farmington.
The course will span four weeks and the exact dates of the classes are as follows:
• Tuesday, Sept. 5 and Thursday, Sept. 7
• Tuesday, Sept. 12 and Thursday, Sept. 14
• Tuesday, Sept. 19 and Thursday, Sept. 21
• Tuesday, Sept. 26 and Thursday, Sept. 28
During the course, Russo will discuss topics such as the benefits of physical activity, choosing healthy foods, food budgeting, meal planning, food safety, and cooking tips. Tuesday will be spent walking and discussing these ideas, with Thursday reserved for cooking and reviewing what was discussed on Tuesday.
“I have a curriculum that I’ve planned out already that I’d like to use for this series,” Russo shared in a phone interview. ” It goes over a lot of sort of basic nutrition concepts, and by that I mean things like daily recommended servings and the different nutrition groups, we’ll go over benefits of different minerals, nutrients, vitamins, and we’ll talk about some ideas as far as incorporating those things a little bit more readily in our day to day meals.”
Russo explained that the walk is also to include physical activity and incorporate the MyPlate guidelines from the USDA to make the class a more well rounded experience for participants. She added that she wants the class to be as inclusive as possible, so individuals that have mobility issues are encouraged to join.
Russo also recommends participants wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Walking locations are subject to change based on circumstances, but Russo stated her end goal is to bring the class to the greenhouse on the University of Maine Farmington campus.
Russo specializes in EFNEP, a federal community outreach program that focuses on nutrition education for low-income populations to support participants’ efforts toward self-sufficiency, nutritional health, and well-being. The program is active in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the six U.S. territories [American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands] and is funded by the USDA and National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The class is free to the public, but does require registration in order to participate. To register, flyers with a QR code are available online. Simply scan the QR code and it will take you to the website to register. If you do not own a device that can scan QR codes, simply call the extension office at [207] 778 4650 and ask about the class.
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