Greetings EIDA members!

EIDA will be kicking off the 2011-2012 year with several great programs.  We start off the year with “How to Give Effective Grocery Store Tours” given by Maribel Alchin, Meijer’s Healthy Living Advisor.  We are also planning a larger October event and plan to invite nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and the CU Fit Families Coalition to reach out and network with other professionals in the area.  This event will be on providing guidance to patients about physical activity & health and will be given by Dr. David Buchner, past- branch chief at the CDC and director of the MPH program at the University of Illinois.  Our meetings are monthly and we have these events and others planned up until January (see events below; February-May meeting will be coming soon) ---and we are already 6 CEUs! 

This will be EIDA’s second year to serve as an administrative rotation for the University of Illinois Dietetic Internship.  We have many great opportunities planned for the interns, one of which is completely planning the February and March EIDA meetings.   Last year the interns planned two great programs for EIDA, and I am excited to see what they will plan this year.  Please help us make EIDA a great learning experience for our students, not just the interns, but also the undergrad students from the University of Illinois & Eastern Illinois University and the Dietetic Technician students from Parkland College.

It is my honor and pleasure to welcome Lori Carlson as EIDA’s President-elect. Lori was a very active EIDA member last year.  She was NNM chair and organized a successful coloring contest which started conversations concerning healthy eating with countless children and their families at 27 libraries in our area!!!  She has also been hard at work helping me plan the 2011-2012 events. 

I encourage all to volunteer and be active in EIDA’s events. It is a great networking opportunity and you never know what doors it might open. Let’s make 2011-2012 an outstanding year for EIDA!!!  I look forward to seeing you at EIDA events and hope you will enjoy all EIDA has to offer (see our member benefits below!).

Wishing you good health,

Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook. If you have any questions, please contact us at eatright.eida@gmail.com.  Membership is available for $25 ($5 for students); membership registration can be completed using the form below.