LEWISTON – Occupational therapy students at University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College have launched a new initiative, “Striving for a Healthy L/A.”

A panel of nutrition and exercise experts provided useful information about the value of good nutrition and physical activity for achieving and maintaining good health at the opening event recently.

Students, faculty and staff from the college and members of the Lewiston/Auburn community attended the event at the college.

The discussion was the first in a series of events launching the initiative. The project’s goal is to provide practical tools to help people live happier and healthier lives.

The first physical activity sponsored by Striving for a Healthy L/A was a snowshoe outing on March 13. It was an extended lunch hour event illustrating that meaningful activity can be integrated into a busy schedule.

Striving for a Healthy/Lewiston-Auburn is sponsored by Healthy Androscoggin, which is dedicated to improving the health of all Androscoggin County residents through collaborative planning, community action, education and prevention.

Healthy Androscoggin includes nearly 300 coalition members and more than 2,300 subscribers. Its initiatives have influenced more than 1,500 people to quit smoking and even more to make healthy lifestyle changes through exercise and nutritious eating.