Grinnell’s Mayflower Community has collaborated with the Grinnell Lions Club to offer a diabetes prevention program in surrounding communities. In turn, the local Lions Club has partnered with Lions Clubs in Kellogg, Montezuma, and Victor to receive the Lions Club International Diabetes Grant and join with UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC), Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance, Manatt’s, Inc. to underwrite the program.
During the two-year grant period, local Lions Clubs will assist with the screenings held in the surrounding communities. Designed to increase the awareness of prediabetes, the program will encourage those with positive screens to enroll in a diabetes prevention program.
There are many risk factors associated with diabetes and having one or more risk factors increases the likelihood off developing diabetes. Common risk factors include obesity, physical inactivity, poor diet, older age, family history, and ethnicity.
The program will be led by Heather Coffman Ph.D., the corporate wellness coordinator at GRMC who will serve as the program director and lifestyle coach.
Mayflower’s Executive Director, Steve Langerud, says of the effort,
“This is one more opportunity that The Mayflower Community has to engage the community in health and wellness activities, which is part of our mission.”
Pictured above with Coffman (front row, left to right) are Colleen Johnston, Manatts Inc.; Tom Latimer, ASI Signage. In the back row, left to right are Steve Langerud and Dave Stoakes, Grinnell Lions Club.
— Bob Mann, Sales & Marketing Director
