MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Healthy Colquitt Coalition recently received a 2017 Healthy Georgia Award for its efforts against childhood obesity.

The Second Annual Healthy Georgia Awards were presented Oct. 3 at the College Football Hall of Fame by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle’s Healthy Kids Georgia, Georgia SHAPE and the Georgia Department of Public Health.

The Healthy Georgia Awards recognized nine organizations across Georgia non-profits, communities and school districts for their extraordinary results in promoting and fostering health and wellness among Georgia’s youth. Three awards — Innovation, All-Star and Legacy — were given across each sector.

The Healthy Colquitt Coalition was recognized with a Legacy Award in the Communities category.

The Legacy Award celebrates people of enduring impact whose robust efforts have helped to shape the landscape of health, nutrition and safety in Georgia, according to a press release from Cagle’s office. They are community role models, respected leaders and key stakeholders dedicated to cultivating a climate of continual growth and advancement within the arena of health and wellness through helping others and implementing best practices for others to flourish.

“It was a tremendous honor to recognize the great people, teams and organizations in our state who so effectively advocate healthy lifestyles among our future generations.” Cagle said. “Congratulations to the Healthy Georgia Awards winners and to all those that applied. We applaud your exceptional work.”

“The Healthy Georgia Awards further emphasize the importance of child health and wellness in Georgia,” said J. Patrick O’Neal, M.D., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “This partnership highlights the critical work being done by champions in communities throughout Georgia to combat childhood obesity and inactivity, and the positive impact it will have on generations to come.”

Whitney Costin, director of patient experience at Colquitt Regional Medical Center, said the Healthy Colquitt Coalition was recognized because of its work with Action Pack Families, a program in the local school system that encourages children to “eat smart, move more.” The plan was to get third, fourth and fifth grade students to make smart diet and exercise decisions, and thus to encourage their whole family to do the same.

The program sprang out of a grant from the University of Georgia College of Public Health through the Archway Project. While Emily Watson was the professional in charge of implementing the Archway Project when the grant began in late 2012, she left in 2014 and Costin took her place less than 18 months after Action Pack Families started.

Costin left her role with the Archway Project earlier this year when the grant expired, and that expiration also meant the end of Action Pack Families as a separate program. Costin said several of the school system’s physical education teachers still incorporate parts of APF’s lessons, and the University of Georgia is working to disseminate the program to other Georgia counties.

“The work that took place here was a result of a community collaborative effort and those works were recognized with by the Healthy Georgia Award,” Costin said.