Funds used to install cardiovascular equipment for area residents
FARGO — Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) is pleased to announce the CHI St. Francis Milnor Clinic was awarded a $5,000 BCBSND Rural Health Grant. The grant was used to acquire cardiovascular exercise equipment in an effort to focus on fitness, health and wellness for the rural community of Milnor. The equipment is located at the Milnor Area Community Center and is open to the public for use.
The BCBSND Rural Health Grant program is a collaborative with the UND Center for Rural Health. 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" stated Tim Huckle, BCBSND President and CEO. "We are so impressed by the local collaborative that are formed in support of these quality projects".
"Having access to these quality exercise machines will help improve overall community health, especially in the colder winter months when it is difficult to get active outdoors, "said Lynnae Wenker, CHI St. Francis Health Foundation Director. "This project hopes to encourage active living for all ages in our rural areas, and make it easier to access equipment."
The Milnor Area Community Center (MACC) is open to the public daily until 9 p.m. and all are welcome to utilize the exercise room to experience the new low impact cardio equipment.
Through an agreement with BCBSND to help develop and administer the program, the Center of Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 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.
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Photo of Milnor's project with cardio exercise equipment with individuals involved in the project. Left to Right: Lynnae Wenker CHI St. Francis Health Foundation Director, Paula Tayer MACC Board Member, Brenda Rick, NP Family Medicine Milnor Clinic.
