Senior Citizens Exercise Proposal Presented Before Health First Kosciusko Committee
December 5, 2024 at 6:43 p.m.
Senior citizens could participate in exercise classes in several Kosciusko County towns if a proposal brought to the Health First Kosciusko Advisory Committee is ultimately approved.
At its meeting on Wednesday, the committee heard initial information about the classes from Kosciusko Community YMCA CEO Jim Swanson and Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe.
After surveying local communities, they found Milford, Mentone and Pierceton leaders would be interested in bringing in classes for the seniors.
Swanson and Roe said they probably wouldn't implement the classes until November, with them running until the spring or summer of 2026. They stated leaders in those communities said seniors had other opportunities for exercise locally in the warmer months.
Swanson and Roe said they also hope to partner with the Kosciusko Area Bus Service to transport seniors in from Syracuse to Milford, Sidney to Pierceton and more so more people could take part in the classes.
The committee approved allowing Swanson and Roe to put together a formal proposal for it to consider.
In other business, the committee also:
• Approved allowing the Northern Indiana Maternal and Child Health Network to conduct sexually transmitted infection testing, HIV services and harm reduction measures for the county at a cost of $84,000.
• Approved having two local radio stations advertise in English for the Kosciusko County Health Department's Early Start Prenatal Clinic for periods of six months and three months at a combined cost of $5,400. The committee also approved having another station advertise in Spanish at a rate of $1,680 for three months.
• Approved having Lauri Westerhof serve as a school health liaison at a cost of approximately $78,000 with $10,000 extra possible if needed. She is to communicate between the health department and Sacred Heart Elementary School, Lakeland Christian School; and Warsaw, Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko and Wawasee school corporations.
• Agreed to try to have the above approved measures taken out of its 2024 budget and not its 2025 allocated monies.
The school health liaison measure, radio advertising and STI testing and related services also must be approved by the Kosciusko County Board of Health and Kosciusko County Commissioners before they can actually be implemented.
The committee's next meeting is 6 p.m. Jan. 22 in the Kosciusko County Courthouse's Old Courtroom.
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Senior citizens could participate in exercise classes in several Kosciusko County towns if a proposal brought to the Health First Kosciusko Advisory Committee is ultimately approved.
At its meeting on Wednesday, the committee heard initial information about the classes from Kosciusko Community YMCA CEO Jim Swanson and Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe.
After surveying local communities, they found Milford, Mentone and Pierceton leaders would be interested in bringing in classes for the seniors.
Swanson and Roe said they probably wouldn't implement the classes until November, with them running until the spring or summer of 2026. They stated leaders in those communities said seniors had other opportunities for exercise locally in the warmer months.
Swanson and Roe said they also hope to partner with the Kosciusko Area Bus Service to transport seniors in from Syracuse to Milford, Sidney to Pierceton and more so more people could take part in the classes.
The committee approved allowing Swanson and Roe to put together a formal proposal for it to consider.
In other business, the committee also:
• Approved allowing the Northern Indiana Maternal and Child Health Network to conduct sexually transmitted infection testing, HIV services and harm reduction measures for the county at a cost of $84,000.
• Approved having two local radio stations advertise in English for the Kosciusko County Health Department's Early Start Prenatal Clinic for periods of six months and three months at a combined cost of $5,400. The committee also approved having another station advertise in Spanish at a rate of $1,680 for three months.
• Approved having Lauri Westerhof serve as a school health liaison at a cost of approximately $78,000 with $10,000 extra possible if needed. She is to communicate between the health department and Sacred Heart Elementary School, Lakeland Christian School; and Warsaw, Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko and Wawasee school corporations.
• Agreed to try to have the above approved measures taken out of its 2024 budget and not its 2025 allocated monies.
The school health liaison measure, radio advertising and STI testing and related services also must be approved by the Kosciusko County Board of Health and Kosciusko County Commissioners before they can actually be implemented.
The committee's next meeting is 6 p.m. Jan. 22 in the Kosciusko County Courthouse's Old Courtroom.