Turtle Lake Hospital opens community wellness center with help of funds from BCBSND Caring Foundation BUILD grant

The Community Wellness Center’s exercise room.

Grant funds cover cost of exercise equipment and minor renovations for new community wellness center.

Turtle Lake, N.D.  One of the 2023 BUILD grants given by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) Caring Foundation went to Turtle Lake Hospital in Turtle Lake, North Dakota. The grant helped fund exercise equipment and minor renovations for the city’s new community wellness center.

Through a collaboration between Turtle Lake Hospital, Turtle Lake Community Center and Turtle Lake Mercer Public School, the new community center was built using the existing school building. This helped them avoid the cost of constructing a brand new building. As a result, they were able to renovate the existing space and convert it into a weight room and exercise room.

“Part of the school building wasn’t being used, so we took those rooms and built onto it. Now, the students, teachers and public can use the sophisticated weight room and exercise equipment,” shared Turtle Lake Hospital assistant administrator, Kathy Hanson.

With the funds from the BUILD grant, multiple exercise machines were purchased as well as flooring for the new facility. Altogether, with some other donations of secondhand equipment, they were able to acquire four treadmills, three stationary bikes and one treadmill for strengthening legs.

The new community wellness center held an open house on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. Many community members signed up for individual and family memberships during the event. Turtle Lake Hospital staff and its community partners are excited to see how the Turtle Lake and Mercer communities use the facility and grow its resources, amenities and membership.

More information can be found on Turtle Lake’s Facebook page as they continue to host community events and wellness challenges throughout the year.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) Caring Foundation
Established in 1989, the BCBSND Caring Foundation (www.BCBSND.com/caring-foundation) is a private 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Through giving and investing, the Caring Foundation focuses on key health issues that help improve the health and well-being of North Dakotans and their communities. Caring Foundation staff work with grantees to support nonprofit sustainability, collaborate on shared outcomes and create lasting change.

About Turtle Lake Hospital
Turtle Lake Hospital (www.chistalexiushealth.org/turtlelake) is a 25 bed critical access hospital with a Level V Emergency Department that is available 24 hours a day. The hospital is committed to providing patients quality medical treatment in the Turtle Lake area and surrounding communities since 1952. 

The Community Wellness Center’s weight room.