Community celebrates impact of Blue Cross, Blue Shield grants

Apr. 11—Quality of Life Coalition of Dickinson County held a Community Celebration April 4 for the community to learn and celebrate the impact made by grants given by Blue Cross and Blue Shield's (BCBSKS) Blue Cross Initiatives. The money, awarded by Quality of Life with approval from BCBSKS, has gone to several businesses, governments and organizations throughout Dickinson County.

Virginia Barnes, director of Blue Cross Initiatives, said the initiatives project began in 2015 with the intention to impact quality of life in Kansan communities.

"It's been an incredible journey," said Barnes about working on Blue Cross Initiatives. "I tell people the best part of my job is, I get to work with the people in communities who care the most about where they live."

Dickinson County was a 2017 and 2020 grantee, one county of 24 counties to be selected. BCBSKS gave a total $400,000 to Quality of Life to award in the county, $200,000 in both phases when the coalition was awarded. Barnes said she and her cohorts saw how passionate Gieber was about the county as she took them on a three hour tour of the county.

"This has been a wonderful project that brought a lot of initiatives to our community," said Vicki Gieber, director of Quality of Life Coalition of Dickinson County. "Virginia, I can't say enough how much we appreciate Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Blue Health initiatives for this opportunity. It's been wonderful."

The money was awarded based on health objectives, or "pathways" as BCBSKS labeled, such as physical activity, health eating, education and establishing tobacco-free policies.

"It's really been helpful to us as a city as well," said Brandon Rein, city mayor. "There are only so many things we can do for quality of life with our budgets that we pass that also try to limit our property tax leverage on the citizens. So any time that we are able to access funds through organizations like this, help us make Abilene a better place to live while limiting the tax burden on citizens."

"Here is an example of where people have worked together in our community and accomplished great things. The reach that this has for all age groups throughout the county is just amazing," Lynn Peterson, county commissioner, also commented.

Phase one (2017 grant)

Community Policy

City of Chapman: $20,000 to partially fund a two mile multi use pathway surrounding the city's national and state registered historic Butterfield Trail and Indian Hill Golf Course.

City of Woodbine: $10,000 for walking path around city park

City of Solomon: $35,000 for replacement of sidewalks and ensure Fourth and Poplar intersection crossing is ADA compliant.

City of Abilene: $35,000 to install and complete four blocks of sidewalk on the East side of N. Vine with ADA accessible sidewalks.

Resident / Community Well-Being

Solomon Community Garden: $17,950 for water supply, lighting, fence, raised beds, tool shed and tools.

Chapman Community Garden: $14,325 for water supply, lighting, fence and plot construction, garden tools and shed.

The Arts Council of Dickinson County: $3,500 for paint supplies to create painted crosswalks at the high school and to paint murals.

K-State Research and Extension of Dickinson County in partnership with city of Abilene: $14,225 to establish a community orchard in Abilene.

Memorial Health System: $40,070 for walking trail and ADA ramp.

Food Retail

Barnes Heartland Foods: $5,000 to purchase various items such as cooler racks, drink slides and punch cards.

Bush's Market: $5,000 to purchase and install a handicap accessible door at the entrance of the store, and update flooring for the safety of their elderly and handicapped customers.

West's Country Mart: $5,000 to purchase banana tree stand, mobile merchandiser, vacuum sealer, food warmer with pans, and FDA approved digital thermometers.

Walt's Four Seasons Country Store: $5,000 to purchase a freezer, refrigerator, produce display and scale for the store.

Health Care — Hospital

MHS Hospital Policy: $10,000 to purchase seven water bottle filling stations and water bottles for staff and visitors.

Health Care — Provider

Heartland Healthcare Clinic in partnership with Impact Sports and Fitness: $10,000 for implementation of a fitness prescription program.

Restaurants

Third Street Deli: $4,929.85 to purchase a hood unity, cold station sandwich/salad prep refrigerator and griddle.

Sweet Creations: $5,000 to purchase a commercial refrigerator, software SAAS, media player, and license, two screens and supplies to install digital media menu boards.

Kansas Coffee & Ice Cream: $5,000 to install bike rack, TV menu boards, a refrigerator unit and a grab n' go cooler.

A Taste of Home: $5,000 to purchase a Turbo Air worktop refrigerator, a two section glass door merchandiser for grab n' go items, a refrigerated sandwich prep table and new smaller plates to serve smaller portions.

Worksite Wellness

USD 481 Hope: $10,000 to purchase exercise equipment to furnish an on-site fitness room for staff.

City of Chapman: $10,000 to purchase five stand up desks, offer 13 family recreation memberships and extend the walking path around the Butterfield Trail and Indian Hill Golf Course.

City of Abilene: $10,000 — Purchase Fitbits, gym memberships or classes for employees, add two water bottle filling stations, and purchase water bottles for their employees.

Memorial Health System: $10,000 to purchase balance ball chairs, standing desk converters, foldable pedal exercisers.

Smart Insurance: $10,000 to purchase sit / stand desks and sponsor gym and fitness activities for their employees.

USD 435 Abilene: $10,000 to purchase fitness equipment to furnish a wellness room for their employees.

USD 393 Solomon: $10,000 to purchase fitness equipment to furnish a wellness room for their employees.

K-State Research & Extension: $10,000 to purchase several items such as water bottle filling station, nugget ice machine and bicycles for employee use.

Enterprise Estates Nursing Center: $10,000 to purchase a refrigerator and the first years' worth of implementation salad bar produce and hire a dietician for employee wellness consulting.

School Districts

Abilene USD 435 Middle School: $10,000 to purchase fitness equipment to furnish a wellness room in the Abilene Middle School that will be open to students and families during and after school.

Abilene USD 435 High School: $5,000 to purchase combination weight racks for the high school weight room.

Chapman USD 473: $12,000 to purchase breakfast cart for the high school, water bottle filling stations for all the schools in USD 473 and water bottles for every student in the district.

Herington USD 487: $13,000 to purchase and installation of 10 water bottle filling stations to install throughout the district schools.

Hope USD 481: $10,000 to purchase water bottle filling stations and two new pieces of playground equipment.

Solomon USD 393: $10,000 to purchase fitness equipment for student fitness testing and to encourage physical activity before school, lunch, and after school programs.

Coordination Dollars Grant Projects

City of Solomon: $841.80 to purchase standing desks for employees.

K-State Research and Extension: $1,700 to purchase of weight equipment for the Stay Strong Stay healthy program.

Abilene Forward (Community Foundation of Dickinson County as fiscal agent): $5,000 to Boot Trail Project, purchase of 10 boots made of a paintable polymer, and supplies.

City of Abilene: $6,000 to purchase and install a new swing bay and swings at Eisenhower Park.

Phase two (2020 grant)

Healthcare Pathway

City of Solomon: $14,000 for pickleball and sand volleyball courts and tobacco free zone signage for all city properties.

City of Abilene: $28,000 for construction of handicap ramp and walking trail around Bicentennial Park and tobacco free zone signage for all city properties.

Food Pathway

Central Kansas Free Fair and Dickinson County: $25,000 to remodel the kitchen in Sterl Hall to become a licensed commercial kitchen.

Quality of Life Coalition and Abilene Farmers Market: $20,000 to contract Wichita State University Center for Organizational Development to assist in Abilene Farmers Market in becoming a 501c3 nonprofit organization and to purchase equipment to accept SNAP-EBT.

Education Pathway

Little Lion's Learning Center: $6,000 to update outdoor playground equipment, outdoor and indoor play equipment and active play materials.

Discovery Childcare Learning Center: $9,000 to update outdoor playground equipment and support policies for free-tobacco zones.

Abilene Childcare Learning Center: $9,000 for various items to support active play.

Community and Social Context Pathway

Quality of Life Coalition: $6,000 for a new website

Quality of Life Coalition, Inc.: $13,000 to support participant attendance at the Kansas Leadership Center, along with paying for hotel, food, and mileage.

The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad Iron Horse Trail: $50,000 for second phase of the Iron Horse Trail.

Healthcare Package

Hospital District No. 1 of Dickinson County, Kansas, Hospital Gardens at Village Manor: $20,000 to construct sidewalks between garden beds, dig a line for well water and purchase material for garden beds.

Economic Stability Pathway

Neighbor to Neighbor Abilene: $546.21 to purchase a metal cabinet that is filled with a variety of nutritious non-perishable foods and is accessible 24/7.

Abilene Farmers' Market: $1,000 to help promote the DUFB Program and to support at least three Tripple-up Food Buck days.

Barnes Heartland Foods: $5,000 for the implementation of the DUFB Program and signage of program.