Funds used to purchase equipment, supplies for physical activity events

FARGO – Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) is pleased to announce Cooperstown (N.D.) Medical Center (CMC) was awarded a $2,600 BCBSND Rural Health Grant. The grant was used, in partnership with the Cooperstown Community Activities Authority (CCAA), to purchase equipment and supplies for a variety of events and activities to encourage exercise, including races, a volleyball league and basketball camps.

According to the grant application, CCAA provides a variety of physical activity events open to all ages. A partnership with CMC to educate the community on resources available and the latest health information is expected to improve the health of area residents.

The BCBSND Rural Health Grant Program is a collaborative with Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota (UND). The purpose is to support local health care providers and their communities by offering funding for projects that champion increased physical activity and promote the health and well-being of rural North Dakotans.

"Our commitment to North Dakota extends well beyond the products and services that deliver peace of mind to our members. It extends to supporting the very communities that we serve and where our members live and work," said Tim Huckle, BCBSND president and CEO.  "We are so impressed by the local collaborations that are formed in support of these quality projects."

Through an agreement with BCBSND to help develop and administer the program, CRH facilitates the application process and review, notifies the grantees of their award determinations, and monitors each program's progress through the year and releases the grant funds. CRH has administered the program since its inception. A complete listing of the recipients from each cycle of the program is available on the CRH website, http://www.ruralhealth.und.edu/projects/bcbs-grant-program.