City going after funding as ‘Healthy Hometown”

Published 7:00 pm Tuesday, April 2, 2013

A committee of local civic leaders has completed an application aimed at earning Brookhaven a “Healthy Hometown” grant.

The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation gives the annual grants, up to three $25,000 awards per year in separate population categories and a fourth $50,000 award to the home or town designated as Mississippi’s Healthiest Hometown.

Alderman at Large Karen Sullivan, a key leader behind the grant application, called herself pleased with the committee’s work.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

“I feel like it is a wonderful grant (application),” Sullivan said.

The committee that aided Sullivan in completing the grant included more than 20 local leaders drawn from churches, school districts, civic organizations, businesses and city government.

“We’ve got some health conscious people here in Brookhaven,” Sullivan said, praising the committee’s work.

The application requires completing a fairly extensive questionnaire about such things as the presence of parks and outdoor recreation opportunities within the city and efforts by city government to promote healthy living.

“It’s unbelievable what all we have,” Sullivan said. “You don’t realize what we have until you put it all on paper.”

Members of the committee met with a representative of Blue Cross & Blue Shield several weeks ago about the grant. The representative cautioned against too much optimism, but Sullivan remains hopeful.

“I’ve been told you don’t get it on your first try, but I’m not accepting that,” Sullivan said. “I feel like we have a really good shot at it.”

A city can’t apply for the Healthy Hometown grants without an ordinance barring smoking in public places within the city.

Brookhaven leaders passed such an ordinance in 2011.

At Sullivan’s urging, board members several weeks ago also approved an ordinance requiring children aged 16 and under wear a helmet while riding a bicycle.

The helmet ordinance would boost the city’s chances for the Healthy Hometown grant, Sullivan told fellow aldermen.