Fort Pierre and Pierre are among the six finalists in Wellmark’s inaugural South Dakota Healthy Hometown Community Award in 2018.
Healthy HometownSM communities are being recognized for advancing efforts to improve the physical, social and emotional well-being of South Dakotans.
Healthy Hometown Community award nominees and one of their many accomplishments:
- Fort Pierre–Started a community garden with 24 raised beds, providing fresh produce to more than 150 senior nutrition program recipients and at least 80 other individuals
- Pierre–Expanded the Go Green and Clean program in which 235 volunteers representing 30 organizations collected more than 4,000 pounds of trash
- Aberdeen–Hosted monthly healthy cooking events at the teaching kitchen in the new library
- Dell Rapids–Expanded two miles of trail and created enhancements along trails using benches, picnic tables and lighting
- Rapid City–Established four new food pantries to collect and distribute healthy food to people in need
- Sioux Falls–Implemented a “road diet,” rechanneling lanes and reducing the width of the road in front of the City Center building, to improve safety and provide space for different modes of travel
Executive vice president for Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Laura Jackson says the six finalists have set a great example for other communities to emulate.
The 2018 Healthy Hometown Community award winners will be announced Oct. 17. Each 2018 Healthy Hometown Community Award winner will be granted a $5,000 award to continue their work focused on improving the health and well-being of their citizens.
