I write to congratulate the Sun Journal for its continuing attention to the health and safety of our people, and particularly our children. Whether it is restricting access by unidentified outsiders to our school halls or increasing access by our children to healthful food in the school cafeteria and healthful activity in the school gym or grounds, your paper continues to focus on issues of importance to the lives and health of the citizens of central and western Maine. Thanks to your entire staff – but especially to Judy Meyer – for continuing her focus on heart health that began with her yearlong series in 2001.

In the coming session, the Maine legislature will once again have opportunities to improve health in our schools, worksites, automobiles and communities. For example, the Maine Affiliate of the American Heart Association will introduce legislation to increase physical education in Maine schools. To stem the rising tides of obesity and diabetes, which threaten to undo all that we have accomplished in the last 30 years to prevent heart disease and stroke, we must make sure that all of us – and especially our children – make healthy eating and physical activity important parts of everyday life.

I trust the Sun Journal will help us all learn more about such important topics – both the opportunities and the obstacles – in the coming year.

N. Burgess Record, Wilton, director for cardiac diagnostics and prevention rehabiliation, Franklin Memorial Hospital;

director for outreach and prevention, Central Maine Heart & Vascular Institute