MASON CITY, Iowa – The Wellmark Foundation recently awarded the City of Mason City’s Youth Task Force a $25,000 grant for its project, Anywhere Fitness. The project will help install easy accessible, free fitness equipment at four outdoor locations.

Anywhere Fitness
The project, named Anywhere Fitness by Mason City youth, will install fitness equipment at four specific outdoor locations. This project, which will be led by the youth of Mason City, aims to increase physical activity of all Mason City residents by increasing accessibility to fitness equipment. After approval from the Mason City Park and Recreation Board, the youth have selected four city parks in which to install outdoor fitness equipment. The youth are now assessing the parks to determine the best locations for the fitness equipment and will determine which equipment will be purchased. Additionally, the youth plan to enlist the expertise of local fitness trainers to provide a workout plan using the outdoor equipment. Fundraising for this project began with the Moonlight Bike Ride in August, and will continue until their goal has been met.

Grant one of only 19 selected
The Wellmark Foundation is a non-profit foundation that seeks to improve the health of Iowans, South Dakotans, and their communities. Through its 2014 Healthy Communities small grant program, the Foundation received 112 grant requests from various organizations seeking support for smaller community health projects. This grant award to the City of Mason City – Youth Task Force is one of nineteen competitively awarded grants across Iowa and South Dakota to establish pilot efforts or expand upon current community health initiatives.

The Wellmark Foundation is proud to award a cumulative total of $404,000 to these nineteen grant recipients.

“The Anywhere Fitness program will provide an opportunity for community members to have free and easy access to fitness equipment, and encourages them to lead an active and healthy life,” said Stephanie Perry, The Wellmark Foundation. “We are impressed with the initiative to increase the overall wellness of the community, as well as the heavy involvement from the youth in the community to promote the outdoor fitness stations.”

For more information on Anywhere Fitness, contact Carol Brown at (641) 421-2708 or at cbrown@masoncity.net. For more information regarding the Wellmark Foundation and its grant programs, contact Teresa Roof at (515) 376-5869 or rooft@wellmark.com.