Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Marion County Children’s Alliance launches 'Look Up Marion — Put Down the Phone' campaign, sets Nov. 15 community day
Summary
The Marion County Children’s Alliance presented a countywide campaign to reduce screen time, including a Nov. 15 'Put Down the Phone Day' and a Dec. 3 summit at CF Klein Center; the campaign will be promoted with a website (lookupmarion.com), PSAs and community partners.
Beth McCullough, executive director of the Marion County Children’s Alliance, presented the coalition’s new Look Up Marion — Put Down the Phone campaign to the Ocala City Council on Oct. 7, asking for city support for a Nov. 15 community day and a Dec. 3 summit focused on healthy screen time.
Why it matters: Presenters cited rising youth mental‑health concerns linked to screen time — including anxiety, sleep loss and obesity — and asked the city to help promote alternatives and educational resources across parks, libraries and other public venues.
Campaign details: McCullough said the campaign grew from a January focus group of local partner organizations (the alliance includes about 60–80 attendees monthly and a coalition of roughly 72 local organizations). The campaign will:
- Designate Nov. 15, 2025 as “Put Down the Phone Day” with marketing materials and suggested activities to encourage non‑screen holiday shopping choices such as board games and bikes. - Host the Look Up Marion Summit on Dec. 3 at 8 a.m. at the College of Central Florida Klein Center, featuring nationally known speaker Mandy Hammond of ScreenStrong. - Maintain a resource website at lookupmarion.com (QR codes were included in marketing materials) with tips, partner resources and links to ScreenStrong materials for parents and community leaders.
Partners and funding: McCullough listed coalition partners including Boys and Girls Club, Kimberly Center, The Pearl Project, NAMI, Interfaith, Harlow’s Helping Hands, the Public Education Foundation and Marion County Public Schools. The initiative is funded through donations to the Children’s Alliance and Give for Marion; McCullough thanked City Manager Pete Lee and Ocala Police Chief Mike Balkan for early support.
City response: Council and staff asked logistical questions about signage, distribution of rack cards and promotional placement in parks and public facilities. Council members and the mayor expressed general support; McCullough asked the city to consider placing yard signs at city parks and Discovery Science Center locations. Creative Springs (marketing partner) is handling PSAs, social media and radio buys that began immediately.
Next steps: McCullough requested city promotion for Nov. 15 and assistance distributing materials. The coalition will proceed with the Summit registration and community outreach as planned.
