Funds used to establish walk/bike trail in Mayville-Portland, Finley

FARGO – Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) is pleased to announce Sanford Medical Center, Mayville, was awarded a $1,975 BCBSND Rural Health Grant. The grant was used to establish a walk/bike trail in Mayville-Portland and Finley.

According to the grant application, "This is a great way to provide the counties with the opportunity to increase their physical activity by following a trail that maps out the distance they have covered and allows them to choose the distance that fits their personal schedule," said Brittany Ness, Steele County Public Health RN/administrator. "Walking is one of the easiest ways for residents to begin their journey of increasing their physical activity."

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.