MCHD Cannon Team serves as starters for Double Tunnel Vision 5K 05.06.2023

May 6, 2023

MCHD Cannon Team serves as starters for Double Tunnel Vision 5K

MOBILE, Alabama — The Mobile County Health Department’s Cannon Team made its fourth outing of 2023 this morning by marking the start of the Double Tunnel Vision 5K race sponsored by the Lions Club of Mobile.

The course featured participants running from one end of the Bankhead Tunnel to the other entrance and then returning back. Members of the Cannon Team also followed the runners in a MCHD golf cart to carry a first aid kit.

Proceeds from the Double Tunnel Vision 5K will benefit the sight programs of the Lions Club of Mobile. To learn more about this project, please visit www.lionsclubofmobile.org.

In 2016, an initiative called “MCHD Declares War on Physical Inactivity” began. Dr. Bernard H. Eichold II, then serving as Health Officer for Mobile County, pointed out that Alabama has one of the highest percentages of obesity in America.

Dr. Kevin Philip Michaels, who assumed the position of Health Officer in 2022, has supported the mission of the Cannon Team. By taking part in community events, the team encourages local residents to go outside and enjoy our beautiful surroundings while exercising.

The Lyle Line-Throwing Cannon, which has a 2.5-inch-diameter barrel, was manufactured in the early 1900s by Coston. It is not a replica, reproduction, or toy. The cannon was designed to fire a projectile attached to a rope to a boat or a victim in distress. Now it used to inspire those seeking a healthier lifestyle.

Derrick Scott supervises a team of MCHD employees that has been trained to safely use the device. Joining him on Saturday were Tracey Hall (who fired the cannon), Dana Burroughs, Tommy Busby, Edward Franklin, Eddie Jones, Roxanne Lee, Adrian Perdue, Michelle Suggs, William Taylor, and Henry Wright.

Any other groups interested in having the MCHD Cannon Team attend their event should contact the Office of Communications by calling 251-690-8823 or via email at mbryant@mchd.org.