Effort to Gather Volunteers and Resources Underway
(FERGUS FALLS, Minn.) – In an ongoing commitment to improving the health of the people in this region, Lake Region Healthcare (LRH) is excited to announce the ground-breaking date of May 11th for a local foods initiative called “Lake Region Takes Root”. The project involves gardening, growing and giving through community collaboration.
According to Larry Schulz, CEO at LRH, a recent community health needs assessment completed by Lake Region Healthcare and Otter Tail Public Health indicated families with children under 21 years of age are concerned about the ability to access fresh fruits and vegetables at affordable prices. “A parcel of land was donated to Lake Region Healthcare to make an impact on health. After much research, we’ve determined that using this resource to grow local foods such as fruit in orchards and vegetables in gardens is a natural fit with that vision. It’s also an opportunity to do something unique to contain health care costs through preventive health measures,” Schulz said.
The land is located on the west side of Fergus Falls on Kennedy Park Circle, just south of LRH’s Walk-In Clinic. In addition to planting fruits and vegetables on the land, LRH envisions it to be a place for learning as well. “Our vision is for much more than providing locally grown foods to underserved populations. We also see this as an opportunity to provide community education on a variety of gardening methods, nutrition, food preparation & preservation, and the mental and physical health benefits of gardening,” Schulz said. “It will also be a place where community service and innovation are modeled. We think this is an amazing combination and collaboration to impact improved health in various ways,” he added.
Food grown on the land will be nutrient dense food thanks to the assistance of local experts in biological gardening who have helped determine how to prepare the soil for the richest possible produce. The beneficiaries of food grown at the site will be mainly WIC clients of Otter Tail County. Any overage of foods will be donated to organizations such as the Fergus Falls Community Food Shelf.
The development of the site, planting and maintenance will be a collaboration of partnerships with individuals and organizations who are committed to building and maintaining an improved local foods system. Regular planning meetings are being held for people interested in participating with the next meeting scheduled for Monday, April 1st at 5pm in the Lower Level Conference Room of Lake Region Hospital. “We will need many partners to help us plan, maintain, build, educate and fundraise for this project,” Schulz said. Groups and individuals interested in special projects, volunteering, or promotion are welcome to the meeting. Additional meetings are also scheduled for April 22nd and May 6th at the same time & location and are also open to the public.
People interested in donating to the project can send checks to the Lake Region Healthcare Foundation and designate it to the Community Garden. Funds are needed for things such as garden tools, equipment, raised-bed garden building supplies, irrigation and an education center. For more information, call Jason Bergstrand at 218.736.8651 or visit www.lrhc.org and choose “Community Garden” under the Health and Wellness tab.
About Lake Region Healthcare
Lake Region Healthcare is living out its vision to be Minnesota's preeminent regional healthcare partner. With over 70 medical staff and over 850 employees, its team is dedicated to serving its patients and community with integrity, teamwork, compassion and excellence. For more information about Lake Region Healthcare, visit www.lrhc.org.
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