First Blue Zones Project Approved Grocery Store to be recognized in Dodge County

by Jim Dittmann
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First Blue Zones Project Approved Grocery Store to be recognized in Dodge County

Blue Zones Project® Dodge County will celebrate the first grocery store to become Blue Zones Project Approved™, Rechek’s Food Pride. The family-owned, local grocer demonstrated its commitment to improving community well-being through this designation. Blue Zones Project Dodge County is a community-wide well-being improvement initiative—designed to make healthy choices easier through sustainable changes to environment, policy, and social networks.

A ribbon-cutting celebration will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, February 8, at Rechek’s Food Pride (609 North Spring St., Beaver Dam).

Rechek’s Food Pride has a history of being a community-minded business, having contributed more than 1 million dollars back to the community since 1996. Obtaining this designation supports their focus on improving the community and supporting customer well-being.

Grocery stores are an important key to improving the well-being of people in the community. Pharmacist and Health Coach, Dr. Abbi Linde, from Hometown Pharmacy, located in Rechek’s Food Pride said, “Food is always first: Food is medicine. But good supplements can round out the missing pieces to a vibrant, healthy life.” Rechek’s Food Pride and Hometown Pharmacy have a wide variety of functional foods and high-quality supplements. Linde coaches customers on how to incorporate foods and nutraceuticals into their wellness plan to start feeling and looking good. Recently, Linde led a grocery store tour for community members to help them navigate shopping choices and find the healthier options.

Additional steps taken by the grocery store to achieve this designation included the creation of a Blue Zones Project checkout lane which holds healthy single serving snack items for purchase. These lanes also include signage encouraging customers to choose water over sugar sweetened beverages. A free piece of fruit is offered to children under 12 years old to enjoy while their parents shop, encouraging healthy snacking choices at a young age.

Signs at the deli also encourage customers to choose ready to eat fruit or vegetables to complement grab and go main meal options. These ready-to-eat healthy sides clearly indicate the number of servings included in the package.

Blue Zones Project is brought to Dodge County through sponsorship by Beaver Dam Community Hospitals, in collaboration with Sharecare®, Inc. and Blue Zones, LLC. Dodge County is the first Blue Zones Project demonstration site in the state.

For details about becoming a Blue Zones Project Approved organization or general information about Blue Zones Project, Dodge County, call 920-212-8511, or visit dodgecounty.bluezonesproject.com

About Beaver Dam Community Hospitals, Inc.

Beaver Dam Community Hospitals, Inc. is an independent, non-profit healthcare organization whose mission is to deliver excellence across a continuum of services to patients in the region of Dodge, Columbia and Fond du Lac counties, Wisconsin. BDCH offers a comprehensive continuum of services to people of all ages, including primary and specialty care, obstetric and inpatient acute care, outpatient surgery and oncology services, emergency services, rehabilitation, independent and assisted living, home care, hospice, long-term care, wound care, urology, orthopedics and sports medicine, interventional radiology, occupational health, pain management, breast health services and women’s health, community education, sleep medicine, and day care for children. For more information, visit www.bdch.com

About Blue Zones Project
Blue Zones Project® is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city’s environment, policy, and social networks. Established in 2010, Blue Zones Project is inspired by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five regions of the world—or Blue Zones®—with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner’s findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Currently, 42 communities in nine states have joined Blue Zones Project, impacting more than 3 million Americans nationwide. The movement includes three beach cities in California; 15 cities in Iowa; Albert Lea, Minnesota; the city of Fort Worth; and communities in Southwest Florida, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.bluezonesproject.com

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