Three South Dakota communities — Custer, Freeman and Mitchell — were each presented with a 2023 Healthy HometownSM Powered by Wellmark Community Award during the Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion Annual Partners Meeting held Thursday, Oct. 12. The award is recognition for their accomplishments in health improvement initiatives within their respective communities.
“We are pleased to present these communities with the 2023 Healthy HometownSM Powered by Wellmark Community Award,” said Laura Jackson, Wellmark’s executive vice president, health equity, access & improvement. “The work that has been done within these communities is to be celebrated. And because this work is so important, Custer, Freeman and Mitchell will also each receive $5,000 to continue improving the physical, social and emotional well-being of their community.”
Some noteworthy achievements in Mitchell include:
- Increasing education of and access to healthy foods by hosting monthly cooking events at the food pantry.
- Encouraging physical activity by providing free gym memberships and adding an after school fitness program.
- Implementing a blood pressure monitoring program that positively impacted more than 200 local residents, providing educational information on hypertension and healthy lifestyle choices.
“For years, we have been trying to rewrite our approach to community health and wellness programming and this award gives us the validation that we’re moving in the right direction,” said Thomas Gulledge, recreation coordinator for the city of Mitchell. “We will use these funds to purchase additional fitness equipment that will support our youth diabetes and obesity prevention program.”
The Healthy Hometown Powered by Wellmark Community Award celebrates the successes achieved by these three communities to make South Dakota a healthier, more active place to live. To find out more information about this initiative, visit Wellmark.com/HealthyHometown.