The Healthiest State Initiative announced the finalists for the 2021 Healthiest State annual awards.
Individuals, communities, K-12 schools, early care providers, out-of-school programs, health care providers and workplaces will be recognized for their efforts to improve the physical, social and emotional well-being of Iowans in virtual award ceremonies during the week of February 15.
The finalists in the 10 categories include:
Healthy Hometown(SM) Powered by Wellmark Community Award
o Cass County
o Clarinda
o Creston
o Dickinson County
o Manning
o Waterloo
o Waverly
(Note: Waverly was the 2020 winner)
K-12 School, presented by HealthPartners UnityPoint Health
o Clay Elementary (Southeast Polk CSD)
o Irving Elementary (Waterloo CSD)
o Riceville Elementary (Riceville CSD)
Out-of-School Program
o Girls on the Run of Central Iowa
o LINK Grinnell
Workplace
Small
o Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation (Grinnell)
o FAMILY, Inc. (Council Bluffs)
o Sanford Health Rock Rapids Clinic
Medium
o Delta Dental of Iowa (Johnston)
o Merchants Bonding Company (West Des Moines)
o WesleyLife Network Support Center (Johnston)
Large
o Grinnell Mutual (Grinnell)
o Hy-Vee (West Des Moines)
o The Rasmussen Group (Des Moines)
Early Care, presented by Nemours
Small
o Handy’s Home Daycare and Preschool (Norwalk)
o Loving Hands Daycare & Preschool (Lambs Grove)
o Neverland Child Care (Sioux City)
Large
o Des Moines Area Community College Child Development Center (Ankeny)
o Michele’s House Childcare & Learning Center (Earlham)
o SCICAP Early Childhood Program (Chariton)
Individual
o Natalie Lancial (Malvern)
o Kate Zimmerman (Ringgold County)
Health Care
o MercyOne Family Medicine Forest Park (Mason City)
o Primary Health Care at Mercy Family Practice Residency Program (Des Moines)
“During a year filled with unprecedented challenges, these finalists demonstrated a relentless commitment to improving the health of their students, patients, employees and community members,” said Jami Haberl, Healthiest State Initiative executive director. “Although we are not able to gather in-person to honor them, we cannot wait to celebrate them virtually!”
All finalists will participate in virtual awards ceremonies that will be aired Feb. 15-18 via Facebook Live. Winners will be announced and awarded a monetary gift to continue their work in 2021. The Healthiest State annual awards are sponsored by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, HealthPartners UnityPoint Health and Nemours.
WATCH LIVE! Healthiest State Annual Virtual Awards
Iowans are invited to tune in to the 2021 Healthiest State Annual Virtual Awards during the week of Feb. 15 on the Healthiest State Initiative Facebook page. A full awards schedule will be posted in the weeks leading up to the events at IowaHealthiestState.com/Awards.
