b"O ur community is made up of the places where we live, learn, work and play. These places arewherehealthbegins.Ahealthycommunityisborninstrong,stablefamiliesandinneighborhoodswithsidewalkssafeforwalkingandstoresstockedwithgood,fresh,affordable food. A healthy community offers jobs that pay livable wages and workplaces that providehealthy environments for a safe and active work day. A healthy community includes schools thateducate our children for the jobs of the 21st century, that feed them the healthiest meals possible andthat support them in developing physical activity habits for life. The members of a healthy communityhave the time and resources for recreation at the end of a hard days work. A healthy community is onein which all residents can see a doctor whenever they are sick, but also one that is structured in waysthat are less likely to lead to sickness in the first place. In Cheshire County, many of us enjoy a high qualityoflifeandacommunitythatchangeswiththetimes without sacrificing its roots. In Keene, wehaveasmallcityvibrantenoughtosupportahospital,adailynewspaper,severalcolleges,adynamicretailcommunityandrecreationofalltypes. In the surrounding communities, we havefarmlands to explore, rivers to kayak on, lakes andponds to swim in, mountains to climb, trails to hikeand all the benefits of small town living. In manyMore than 200 Vision 2020 Champions participated in a flash mob at the Keeneways, Cheshire County represents the blueprint of Pumpkin Festival to support the role that physical activity plays in good health.a healthy community. But we aren't as healthy aswe could be. Vision 2020 proposes that together we can change that. Vision 2020 is a challenge to Cheshire County not only to get healthier, but to become, by 2020, thehealthiest community in the nation. Sounds good, right? Everyone wants to be healthy. But what arewe really talking about? What does a healthy community look like? Some of the benefits of living in a healthy community are obvious, like longer life expectancy and fewerchronic diseases. Others are a bit more subtle, such as lower health insurance costs, lower crime ratesand higher property values. These are all great goals. To achieve them, we have to adjust our thinkingabout health and healthcare to accommodate two truths. First, healthy choices are not necessarilymore expensive than unhealthy ones. Second, health is something we can actively maintain or improveeach day, rather than ignore until treatment by a doctor becomes necessary. As you'll see in thefollowing pages, the goals that Vision 2020 set forward are based on simple principles that provide aframework for better health. We invite you to join us in becoming the healthiest community.The Healthiest Community Advisory Board1"