Woodburn to be lit up in blue and green in honor of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Between Feb. 25 and March 3, 2018, 2016, Woodburn: The Governor’s Residence, located at 151 Kings Highway S.W. in Dover, Del., will be lit up in blue and green in honor of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, an annual campaign sponsored by the National Eating Disorders Association to bring public attention to the critical needs of people with eating disorders and their families.
With its 2018 campaign theme, “Let’s Get Real,” the association is expanding the conversation about eating disorders and highlighting stories about the complicated relationships that many Americans have with food, exercise and appearance that lead to negative food- and body-image-issues. By expanding conversations, busting myths, getting real about the wide range of experiences and sharing its online screening tool, the association is hoping to reach new audiences while sharing resources and diverse stories of recovery.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness and will affect 30 million Americans at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, myths and misinformation still keep people from getting the help they need. The association is working to counter these factors through a variety of activities including social media campaigns, legislative advocacy, building lightings, local events and more. Results from its 2017 efforts include a 22% increase in contacts to the association’s helpline, 538 million people reached with information and resources via social media, over 178,000 visits to the association’s websites, nearly 36,000 people screened for an eating disorder including 95% who were either currently struggling or at risk of developing an eating disorder, and 73 landmark buildings in 34 states that were illuminated to shine a spotlight on eating disorders.
Woodburn is one of Delaware’s most historic homes and an outstanding example of late-18th-century Georgian architecture. The house was built in 1798 by Charles Hillyard, III (1759–1814), a fourth-generation Delawarean from a family of affluent landowners who were frequently active in the governmental, social and economic life of Kent County. Woodburn has served as the home of Delaware’s governor since it was purchased by the state in 1965. It was listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs has been responsible for the care and conservation of Woodburn since August 2009. The division’s charge includes repair and maintenance of the building; design and upkeep of the property’s garden and horticultural displays; and furnishing of the home.
