Published on January 25, 2021

Healthpark offering virtual cooking classes

By Christie Netherton, Messenger-inquirer

Owensboro Health Healthpark is offering the community a chance to join in on a virtual cooking class with OH dietitians.

Kelci MurphyThe classes are free of charge and one of the ways in which the Healthpark continues to help provide accessible wellness resources for the community, according to Kelci Murphy, OH outpatient and wellness dietitian.

“With these cooking classes, we’re trying to just be a resource for the community,” Murphy said. “That’s part of our role. We want to bring healthy, easy recipes to our community. That’s why we make it free, we want it to be accessible to everybody.”

Murphy said the Healthpark has hosted two virtual cooking sessions so far, one in October and one in November. The upcoming session scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 28, will be the first session of the new year, she said.

The cooking classes are hosted virtually through Webex during COVID-19. Participants must register ahead of time to receive information, such as an ingredients list.

Participants will also have the option to show their screen to the class during the cooking session to be interactive and share what they have made, as well.

Thus far, the classes have received around 10-15 participants per session. Murphy said there is hope to increase that number as the Healthpark hosts more classes.

Before the pandemic, the Healthpark hosted in-person cooking classes, booking out 40-45 seats. The virtual option, however, leaves room for more participants without space limitations.

“We’ve gotten really good feedback on the last two cooking classes that we did,” Murphy said. “Everybody really seemed to like them.”

Anyone interested in joining the Healthpark’s virtual cooking classes must register in advance, free of charge, by calling 270-688-4804. The deadline to register for the Jan. 28 class is Monday, Jan. 25. Internet connection is required to participate through Webex.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@ messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360

About Owensboro Health

Owensboro Health is a nonprofit health system with a mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities it serves in Kentucky and Indiana. The system includes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, nationally recognized for design, architecture and engineering; Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital; Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center; the Owensboro Health Medical Group comprised of over 200 providers at more than 20 locations; three outpatient Healthplex facilities, a certified medical fitness facility, the Healthpark; a surgical weight loss center and program, and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center.

On average each year, we have 16,000 inpatient admissions, deliver 2,000 babies and provide the region’s only Level III NICU. Owensboro Health physicians perform nearly 24,000 surgical procedures, including nearly 200 open-heart surgeries. Our physicians and staff have 70,000 Emergency Department visits, more than a million outpatient visits annually. Visit our home page for more information.