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Manchester One of Five Communities Recognized for Active Living

This fall, five municipalities that make up the “5 Healthy Towns” service area were recognized by the Michigan Fitness Foundation Promoting Active Communities (PAC) program.

Of the five communities, the Village of Manchester saw the greatest improvement in its PAC score, advancing from receiving Bronze awards in 2010 and 2012 to the Silver in 2014. Silver Level communities are awarded for their significant progress toward making it easy for residents to be active.

The City of Chelsea and Village of Dexter also received Silver level awards, while Grass Lake Charter Township and Stockbridge Township each received Bronze level awards. The other communities each saw increases in their overall scores but not enough to push them into the next award level.

In total, 18 communities throughout the state of Michigan were recognized by Michigan Fitness Foundation. Participating communities have the opportunity to earn awards in the program and receive a detailed feedback report from the Michigan Fitness Foundation. In addition to the Silver Level, Bronze Level communities are recognized for the important steps they have taken for making it easy for people to be active; Gold Communities are awarded for their outstanding achievements in making it easy for people to be active; and the highest level, Platinum Level communities, are recognized as models of healthy, active living.

The surveys were conducted in partnership with the Chelsea‐Area Wellness Foundation. Intern Cassandra Lance, a Michigan State University Public Health student and Stockbridge resident, was the main point of contact during the survey.

“This survey is extremely comprehensive, taking into account all of the ways in which communities can promote healthy living,” said Lance. “The PAC survey gives communities a way to analyze the areas where improvements are needed, and acknowledge the ways in which they are succeeding in promoting healthy life styles.”

The PAC survey grades communities on several levels, including Community Planning, Ordinances, availability of walking routes, parks and programs  that promote active lifestyles, bicycle facilities, school programs and more.

“The Promoting Active Communities survey is a great tool for the 5 Healthy Towns Community Wellness Coalitions to use and measure how our communities are providing active living choices for residents,” said Doug Moeckel, Chairperson of the Grass Lake Community Wellness Initiative (GLCWI). “Finishing the assessment boosts our local planning efforts, helps identify community needs, and raises awareness about the importance of planning for active living.”

The Chelsea‐Area Wellness Foundation is a tax‐exempt private foundation governed by a volunteer board of directors. The foundation serves the populations included in the school districts of Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester and Stockbridge.

by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.