The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Celebration will give the Toledo community the opportunity to celebrate the activist’s memory and vision on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at The University of Toledo.

UT President Lloyd Jacobs and Toledo Mayor Michael P. Bell will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11 in the board room of the Driscoll Alumni Center on the UT Main Campus to discuss the Unity Celebration and extend an invitation to the greater Toledo community to attend.

The 11th annual Unity Celebration will take place at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16 in Savage Arena.

The 2012 celebration “Stand!” will feature a keynote address from Hari Jones, curator of the African-American Civil War Museum, as well as performances from the Toledo Interfaith Mass Choir and recognition of the 2011 MLK Scholarship recipients. A free community luncheon will follow the ceremony.

All attendees of Unity Celebration are asked to bring a canned good that will be donated to the MLK Kitchen for the Poor, 650 Vance St. in downtown Toledo.

Media Coverage
The Independent Collegian (Jan. 12, 2012)
The Blade (Jan. 13, 2012)
The Blade (Jan. 16, 2012)
The Blade (Jan. 17, 2012)
13 ABC, WTOL 11, WNWO and FOX Toledo (Jan. 17, 2012)

Now the community has a greater opportunity to achieve a healthier lifestyle. The YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo and The University of Toledo are partnering to strengthen healthy living initiatives available to the community to promote wellness and maximize the amount of resources going to those seeking healthy living services.

The YMCA and University will sign a contract enabling a partnership to begin managing the YMCA’s Healthy Living initiatives Monday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. in University Hall Room 3500 (President’s office). UT President Lloyd Jacobs, YMCA President and CEO Todd Tibbits and Interim Executive Director of UT Physicians Bryan Pyles will sign the agreement.

The YMCA and UT have identified a shared staff position to manage the Healthy Living initiatives, which include worksite wellness programs, diabetes education, executive health assessments, the YMCA’s Kids In Motion program, weight management and other health-related programs.

“The YMCA believes collaboration and partnerships are the best way to address the critical needs of our community including healthy living. The YMCA is pleased to open its doors to the University, as it positions us to better deliver programs and services by adding the resources of the University and clinical expertise from UTMC,” said Todd Tibbits, President and CEO for the YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo.

“The YMCA is an outstanding resource for northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and The University of Toledo is proud to expand its strong partnership with them,” said UT President Lloyd Jacobs. “The YMCA’s efforts to improve the health and well being of our community through exercise, healthy habits and preventative medicine mirrors much of the University’s work in these areas and a closer relationship just makes sense.”

Already the YMCA manages its South YMCA location at the Morse Center on UT’s Health Science Campus. Officials say that by working collaboratively, the community will have improved access to initiatives that will focus on the prevention of chronic disease and educational services that integrate wellness for the whole family.

Additionally, the partnership will offer relevant internships and professional experiences for University students studying in health and wellness fields. Also UT and the YMCA plan to work to create more scholarship and education opportunities at UT for YMCA staff and will strive to find mutual research and grants relative to community health and wellness.

Media Coverage
13 ABC, WTOL 11 and FOX Toledo (Jan. 10, 2012)
The Blade (Jan. 10, 2012)