Vernon Nelson, Milton High School math educator, of Milton, will be honored with a Health Champions Award on Saturday, June 30, 2012, at Whittier Street Health Center’s Men’s Health Summit.

Nelson is being honored for his commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle and is one of ten recipients to receive the accolade this year. The Summit, “Take Charge: Building Healthier Minds, Bodies and Spirits,” was established 11 years ago with the goal to raise awareness among men that their physical, mental and spiritual health makes a direct contribution to stronger connections to their families and community.  

“I am honored to present Whittier Street’s Health Champion Award to 10 recipients this year, each who have demonstrated exemplary commitment towards improving both the physical and mental wellness for our community members,” said Frederica Williams, President and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center. “Our goal is to continue to raise the awareness of how important it is for the men to take care of their health, maintain healthy lifestyles and be positive role models.”

Nelson joined the faculty of Milton High School as a full time mathematics teacher in September 2005.  The oldest of four children, Nelson discovered that he had an aptitude for mathematics during his high school years.  At Milton High School, he has been active on several committees associated with school improvement efforts.

Nelson became a member of the Board of Directors at Whittier Street Health Center in July of 2000.  As a member of the Board, he has served on several committees and has also served as the Board Chair and Vice Chair. He will be married to his wonderful wife, Virginia A. Nelson, for 42 years as of July 25. 

More than 300 people are expected to attend the summit, which is free and open to the public. New England Patriots Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett will be the keynote speaker for the annual Men’s Health Summit. Tippett was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008, culminating a stellar 12-year career with the Patriots.

The Summit will include a health fair, health screenings (including high blood pressure, glaucoma, and prostate cancer), live entertainment and games, and a formal program that includes an awards ceremony, the keynote and a Q&A panel discussion with health professionals.

In addition to Nelson, nine other individuals will be honored with the Health Champions Award including: Rick Anderson, Program Director, WILD Radio; Felix Arroyo, City at Large Councilor; Donald Cormier, Headmaster, Catholic Memorial Middle School; Mary Concannon, Guidance Counselor and Educator, Catholic Memorial Middle School; Greg Janey, President and CEO, Janey Construction Management and Consulting, Inc.; Dr. Christopher Lathan, Head of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Community Cancer Clinic at Whittier Street Health Center; Edward Owens, President and CEO, Owens Movers; Dr. Philip Smith, Podiatrist, Whittier Street Health Center, and Steven Tompkins, Chief – External Affairs at Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department.

An integral part of the summit is providing a general understanding of men’s health and educating men on the importance of getting screened for diseases for which they may be at risk.

The Summit takes place Saturday, June 30, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Whittier Street Health Center, 1290 Tremont Street, Roxbury, MA.  For more information, call 617-989-3028 or visit: www.wshc.org.  Tippett’s keynote speech begins at noon.

About Whittier Street Health Center

Whittier Street Health Center (www.wshc.org) is a Joint Commission accredited, private, non-profit, independently licensed community health center dedicated to providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary health care and support services for diverse populations to promote wellness and eliminate health and social disparities. Serving more than 19,000 clients with approximately 70,000 clinic visits and 20,000 community outreach visits annually, Whittier has a patient base which is ethnically and racially diverse and includes significant numbers of individuals from Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End and Greater Boston.  Whittier provides a comprehensive array of 40 healthcare programs and services designed to meet the primary health care, behavioral health, and social needs of the community.