Ames Wins Healthy Iowa Community for 2012

Monday, September 24, 2012

Ames was named the winner of the 2012 Healthy Iowa Community Award at the Healthy Iowa Awards annual dinner on Thursday in Des Moines. The award will be presented to Ames Mayor Ann Campbell and Ames City Council at the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Tuesday.

“This is a wonderful recognition of the great strides we’ve taken to make Ames a community where every citizen has the opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle,” said Mayor Ann Campbell. “Our city includes residents of all ages, and we look at all aspects of wellness when making decisions that shape our community’s future.”

The Healthy Iowa Awards began in 2009 as a celebration of the healthiest schools, organizations and individuals in the state. The awards are presented by the Academy for a Healthy Iowa, a collaboration between the Iowa Department of Public Health, Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Nutrition and Wellness Council of Iowa. Award winners are selected based on providing access to wellness, programming, financial commitment, measurability and sustainability. Winners retain the Healthy Iowa designation for three years at which point they must reapply.

The award application was submitted by the Healthiest Ames Initiative, a group of more than a dozen Ames organizations, businesses, and individuals. The group formed as the Ames Blue Zones Project Team and is continuing to explore a self-directed approach to a healthier community. Going forward, the group has expanded its charge to a more comprehensive approach to health and wellness. Committee members are concentrating specifically on incorporating several key aspects of well-being into the community in the most effective and sustainable way. One of the first initiatives of the group is encouraging residents to participate in the Iowa Healthiest State Walk at several Ames locations at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 3. More information is available at www.iowahealthieststate.com.

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