Residents learn healthy eating and drinking key to healthy lifestyle
Published 7:00 am Saturday, August 8, 2026
Delerium Xena, who works with Debbie Waugh at Salamander Springs Farm, was well-stocked with all kinds of items from the farm at her booth last Friday. (Billy W. Hobbs/Staff)
Eating the right foods and drinking lots of water and beverages keeps the body healthy
Such information was shared Friday with residents in the parking lot of Shiloh Baptist Church in the Harrisburg neighborhood of Baldwin County
The three-hour event, held July 31, was co-sponsored by Milledgeville’s Milly Market and the North Central Health District’s Supporting Health Initiatives and Nurturing Equity (SHINE) Program. The purpose was to show and tell residents the importance of shopping for fresh, locally-grown produce and homemade goods at the Pop-Up Market
Although the event didn’t draw as many residents as planned, those who attended seemed to enjoy themselves
Sol Taylor and her husband, Willie, who attend Shiloh Baptist Church, were among the first area residents to come out
And because it was a hot July afternoon, one of the first things the couple enjoyed was a cold cup of water infused with lemons, cucumbers and other ingredients.
“I’m going to go home and make this special drink for my husband and myself because it’s really good,” Sol said. “It will be healthy for us, too.”
Willie said he loved it, too
“I think these kinds of programs have their benefits,” Willie said. “I think everybody needs to know what they offer at events like this and how it could change their lifestyles and help them live longer and become healthier. These kinds of events will provide you with that kind of information.”
Karen Ebey-Tessendorf, who serves as district program manager at the North Central Health District out of Macon, oversees 13 counties, including Baldwin
“There are five of us here, and several of them are with our SHINE Program,” Ebey-Tessendorf said
She was asked about the importance of events such as the one in Harrisburg
“We’re trying to encourage people to eat healthy, local foods and to increase the amount of produce they eat — fruits and vegetables,” Ebey-Tessendorf said. “I’m here today to promote drinking more water. So, I’ve got a sample of infused water. It has lemon, lime, cucumbers and some mint in it. And everybody who has tried it says it’s pretty good. It has no sugar in it.”
She said she had also spoken with a resident who is diabetic and “was very thrilled” to have an option to drink something with absolutely no sugar in it
Several other DPH employees were there from the Baldwin County Health Department in Milledgeville
Hamdy Inusah, communications specialist for the SHINE Program, said those with the SHINE Program help residents in Baldwin Hancock and Washington counties
“Nutrition is just one of three SHINE strategies, and it’s not just necessarily about eating healthy because anybody can tell you to eat healthy,” Inusah said. “It’s more like increasing access to eating healthy fresh fruits and vegetables.”
She said the Milly Market is typically held in downtown Milledgeville, but they surveyed residents in southern Baldwin County and discovered that transportation was a big problem for many people in getting to the Milly Market
“So, we thought, well, let’s bring the market to them,” she said. “We’re all about meeting people where they are.”
Morgan Scott, who serves as the physical activity coordinator with the SHINE Program, also attended the Harrisburg event
“Being out in the field, for me, is making sure people have access to their everyday destinations, including neighborhood parks, grocery stores, hospitals, etc.,” Scott said. “We want to make sure people have easier access, and that means working with local government officials, community coalitions, and making sure that we promote physical activities within communities.”
She mentioned the new Oconee Heights mini-park
“There, we want to make sure they have access to a vibrant neighborhood and that they promote physical activities and also continue to improve their wellness because we know chronic diseases are very prominent in African-Americans.”
Scott said she is learning with different projects that she must know and grow within the community
“And by doing so, I’m able to better help the community with different projects that we’re working on,” Scott said
Luke Opperman also attended the event. He has been associated with the Milly Market for several years and works with Debbie Waugh
“She and I manage that market,” Opperman said
Asked how important it is for local residents to purchase homemade baked goods such as breads and rolls, and assorted fresh vegetables, fruits and eggs from a local market, Opperman said it was a nice way to support each other, including vendors
“The benefit of helping our local growers, farmers, bakers isthat you get incredible fresh food,” Opperman said
