Decorah decides to drop out of the Blue Zones Project

The group working to earn Blue Zones Community™ certification for Decorah has decided to opt out of the program in order to pursue a more comprehensive countywide approach to health in Winneshiek County.

Decorah applied to become a BlueZones Project demonstration site in January 2012 along with 53 other communities of all sizes from across Iowa. The Blue Zones Project™ is an initiative of Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Healthways to help improve the well-being of all Iowans.

Decorah was selected as a demonstration site for the Blue Zones Project in October 2012.  As the scope of the project continued to evolve, it became evident to the group that the program didn't fit well with the overall vision for health and wellness in the area.

Chad Bird, one of the co-chairs of the Power 9 leadership team, said, "We wanted (the project) to include the entire county and many outlying segments of the Decorah area to reach further than the parameters set within certification. It was a good time to shift our focus and resources where we felt it needed to be and that was on all of Winneshiek County."

Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and Power 9 co-chair Nikki Brevig said,  "Our community is enthusiastic about making healthier choices.  Our schools, healthcare organizations and industries have laid the groundwork for successful wellness programming. We feel that we can build upon that foundation to create a wellness program designed by our community, for our community and in our own time frame."

Bird and Brevig said the team plans to hold community meetings to gather input and support on a continued wellness program in the area and to begin to build alliances with county wide worksite and support groups.