Community Health Network was a presenting sponsor for the inaugural Race Around the Reservoir Geist Half Marathon and 5K, which occurred on May 17.

Dan Hodgkins, vice president of health promotion and community benefit called the event “an incredible success.” In all 4,500 people participated in the event—the most ever for an inaugural race in the state of Indiana.

One of the largest successes was the involvement of children. Last year, Community along with The Lawrence Township Foundation started the Kids Up and Running program in the Lawrence schools. The goal was to combat sedentary lifestyles and get children and their families moving. More than 1,200 students raced in the half marathon and for more than half, it was their first organized race. “I think we had more success than anyone ever thought about,” Hodgkins says.

All proceeds raised from the race will go to support the Up and Running program as well as other similar programs in the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township and Hamilton Southeastern School District.

“This is a great example of how our Community Health Network contributions “pay it forward” to the broader community,” Hodgkins says.

Community programs awarded for addressing childhood obesity
The U.S. Surgeon General, Steven K. Galson, M.D., has singled out two model programs in Indiana to be awarded for successfully addressing the issues of childhood obesity. A news conference was held Wednesday, May 28, at Douglass Park in order to present the awards to Lawrence Township Foundation’s “My Community Gets Healthy” program and Indianapolis Public Schools Howe Academy’s “Fit4life” program.

Both of these programs have been supported by Community Health Network. “I am very proud of the work my department staff has provided to make both of these programs a reality, especially Karen Shirey, Lutrell Lauderdale, Todd Williams and Marcia Plant Jackson and others,” Hodgkins says.

The Surgeon General asked some of the student runners from the Geist Half Marathon, including a student at MSD Lawrence, who came in 14th out of the entire field of 4,500 runners, to be present at the awards ceremony and press conference. He was able to compete in the race with the support of the school clinic staff including, Denise Schnell, family nurse practitioner at Brook Park.