Funds used to purchase new playground equipment for Centennial Park

FARGO – Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) is pleased to announce St. Aloisius Medical Center in Harvey was awarded a $2,600 BCBSND Rural Health Grant. The grant was used, in partnership with the Harvey Kiwanis, to purchase new playground equipment for Centennial Park last fall.

According to the grant application, the community of Harvey was in need of updated playground equipment, and with funds raised through this grant, children will be able to play outdoors on safe equipment and enjoy fresh air, exercise and family time.  With the park's close proximity to walking paths, parents of children can walk the paths or play Frisbee golf as their children swing, climb and run, promoting exercise for all ages.

The BCBSND Rural Health Grant Program is a collaborative with the 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.