KANSAS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR
Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary
Media Advisory
August 28,1998
Contact: Don Brown
785-296-1529
Statewide Education Effort-KDHE Asks Kansans: Did You Wash 'em?
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) will host a news conference and statewide kick-off for the Kansas Handwashing Education Campaign, 11:00 a. m. Friday, September 4, 1998 at the Pozez Education Center, 1505 SW 8th Street, Topeka, Kansas.
The Handwashing Education Campaign is funded by a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation and implemented by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The project involves a statewide information campaign working in cooperation with several smaller regional grant recipients. Those local grantees will be announced at the September 4th kick-off.
With increased national attention on food safety and public health, this is the perfect time to remind Kansans about the importance of good handwashing behaviors. While the message of the educational campaign will reach all Kansans, extra emphasis will be placed on reaching children, caregivers and food service workers.
The September 4th news conference will include comments from Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary of Health and Environment, and Mary Glassburner, KDHE's Handwashing Project Coordinator. Officials will also demonstrate the effectiveness of handwashing techniques through the use of a special photo-sensitive process that can detect spots we missed while washing our hands!
Please join us as we get started on this very important Public Health Campaign. Hope to see you Friday the 4th!