Get Healthy Utah News and Blog

Get Healthy Utah recognized AARP Utah and Utah’s Every Kid Outdoors (EKO) Initiative as the recipients of its 2026 Partnership Awards during Get Healthy Utah’s annual event, Momentum, held September 16 at Millcreek Common.

The Get Healthy Utah Partnership Award recognizes organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing community health, connection, and wellbeing through innovation and partnership.

“Being a convener for a strong network of partners is at the heart of the work we do at Get Healthy Utah,” said Alysia Ducuara, Executive Director of Get Healthy Utah. “AARP Utah and Every Kid Outdoors have both been incredible partners in helping communities across Utah create healthier places to live, work and play. We appreciate all the ways they have helped strengthen and expand our work.”

AARP Utah has helped Get Healthy Utah incorporate a healthy aging lens into its work and has been an active partner in educational opportunities, including webinars and tabling at events.

“AARP Utah is so pleased to receive Get Healthy Utah's 2026 Partnership Award. We love Get Healthy Utah's mission to make people healthier at every age. AARP focuses on healthy, age-friendly communities for older adults, thereby making communities better for everyone.” said Alan Ormsby, State Director of AARP Utah.

Through this partnership, AARP Utah and Get Healthy Utah have worked to elevate healthy aging as an important component of community health and encourage communities to consider the needs of older adults.

Utah's Every Kid Outdoors Initiative is a strategic partner of Get Healthy Utah, sharing a commitment to helping Utah youth and families participate in outdoor recreation and lead active, healthy lives.

The initiative’s Adventure Challenge Passport is one example of a community strategy that cities and towns can use as part of their work toward the Healthy Utah Community designation.

“Every kid in Utah deserves the chance to explore the outdoors and experience how good it feels to be active in nature. Partnering with Get Healthy Utah helps us connect directly with local communities and schools to make that happen. Receiving this partnership award is a huge honor, and it really highlights what’s possible when we work together,” said Ashley Brown, program specialist for Utah’s Every Kid Outdoors Initiative.

“Both of these organizations demonstrate how partnerships can turn shared goals into meaningful action,” said Emma Andreasen, Program Coordinator for Get Healthy Utah. “We’re grateful for their continued support and collaboration.”

The 2026 Partnership Awards were presented as part of Get Healthy Utah’s Annual Event, Momentum, which brought together community leaders, public health professionals, planners, educators, healthcare professionals and other partners from across Utah to celebrate progress and explore opportunities to continue building healthier communities.

“Momentum is about recognizing what we can accomplish when we work together,” said Alysia Ducuara, Executive Director of Get Healthy Utah. “These two organizations represent the kind of collaboration that helps turn healthy community goals into meaningful action.”

To learn more about our 2026 Annual Event, Momentum, visit here.

Get Healthy Utah hosted its 12th annual event this year at Millcreek Common. This year’s theme, “Momentum,” celebrated the continued efforts across Utah to keep health moving forward and build momentum toward healthier communities. Leaders from across sectors came together to learn how to continue advancing these efforts and build on the momentum already underway across Utah. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GET HEALTHY UTAH HIGHLIGHTS

Alysia Ducuara, executive director of Get Healthy Utah, highlighted the organization’s successes during the 2025–26 fiscal year. Get Healthy Utah developed three new toolkits to support Healthy Utah Communities: the Small Community Toolkit, How to Conduct a Healthy Food Access Assessment, and a Social Connection Toolkit. The organization also piloted two programs: Eat Like a Champion, which encouraged healthy snacks after youth sports, and the Price Healthy Food Walk Audit, which put the new Healthy Food Access Assessment into practice.

Two funding opportunities were also offered to Healthy Utah Communities: the Healthy Food Access Community Grant and the Social Connection Community Grant. Together, these opportunities provided funding to 19 communities to support health-focused projects across Utah. 

To introduce this year's theme, “Momentum”, Alysia highlighted the importance of the continued efforts from every sector and the collective impact from working together. 

KEYNOTE: SHAPING UTAH’S NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Jason Brown, Envision Utah, CEO

Jason Brown of Envision Utah spoke on “Momentum: Shaping Utah’s Next Generation of Healthy Communities.” He explored current health trends in Utah while leading with a sense of optimism, pointing to the positive changes already taking place across the state. His presentation emphasized the importance of recognizing this progress and continuing to build on the momentum already underway to shape healthier communities for the future.

MORNING BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Building Momentum Through Partnerships

Scott Barlow, One Utah Health Collaborative; Bre Yamauchi, Utah Community Builders; Shanda Stenger, Utah State Board of Education

In this session, leaders from business, education, and healthcare shared how their organizations contribute to healthier communities and how local leaders can successfully partner with them. Attendees gained practical strategies for building relationships, aligning goals, and creating lasting collaborations that advance community health, ultimately reinforcing the idea that healthy communities are built through strong partnerships across sectors.

Building Momentum Through Connection

Nathan Malan, DHHS; Tara Mckee, Every Kid Outdoors; Emma Andreasen, Get Healthy Utah

The second morning session highlighted practical strategies communities can use to strengthen belonging and connection across the lifespan. Presenters showcased Get Healthy Utah’s new Social Connection Toolkit, explored how access to nature supports mental health and social connectedness, and introduced a statewide campaign focused on helping parents and youth build stronger communication and relationships. Together, these strategies reinforced the idea that strong communities foster both mental well-being and meaningful social connection.

Walking Tour: Healthy Food Walk Audit (hosted both morning and afternoon)

Francis Lilly and Mike Winder, Millcreek City; Megan Larsen, Emma Andreasen, and Aimee Black, Get Healthy Utah Staff

Millcreek City leaders Mike Winder and Francis Lilly led participants on a healthy food access walking tour through Millcreek. Participants completed walk audit assessments along the route, while Winder and Lilly provided an overview of the city’s development and efforts to improve the health of the city, including healthy food access, walkability, and housing options. Attendees walked away with greater confidence and understanding of how to complete walking tours in their own community.

AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Building Momentum for Wellbeing

David Blodgett, Southwest Health Department; Tycen Flygare; Physical Therapist; Shannon Wright, JustServe 

This afternoon session explored the often-overlooked factors that support overall well-being, including time, sleep, and volunteering, and how they influence our ability to live healthier, more connected lives. Presenters shared research, innovative ideas, and practical strategies that communities and organizations can use to support active living, healthy eating, mental well-being, and overall quality of life. Together, these insights reinforced the idea that healthy lifestyles are shaped by more than just opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating.

Building Momentum for Active Living

Hugh Van Wagnenen, WFRC; Jaime Anderson, Southwest Health Department; Taylor Smith, Special Olympics Utah

The second afternoon breakout session highlighted practical strategies for supporting active living through transportation planning, adaptive recreation, and local partnerships. Presenters shared how tools, programs, and cross-sector collaboration can expand opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to be physically active in their communities. Together, these strategies reinforced the idea that creating communities where everyone can be active requires collaboration across sectors and intentional community design.  

CLOSING KEYNOTE PANEL: LEADING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: A CONVERSATION WITH UTAH MAYORS

Kate Bradshaw, Bountiful Mayor; Gay Lynn Bennion, Cottonwood Heights Mayor; Barbara Bruno, Springdale Mayor; Zach Stratton, Vineyard Mayor

At the close of the conference, Utah mayors shared how they’re building momentum through partnerships that improve quality of life. From engaging residents to collaborating across sectors, panelists discussed lessons learned, challenges they’ve overcome, and opportunities to create healthier, more connected communities throughout Utah. Together, they reiterated the shared belief that communities thrive when local leaders bring people together around a shared vision.

PARTNERSHIP AWARDS

AARP Utah & Utah’s Every Kid Outdoors Initiative

Get Healthy Utah awarded AARP Utah and Utah’s Every Kid Outdoors Initiative with the Get Healthy Utah Partnership Award for their outstanding work and contributions to making Utah a healthier place to live. 

 

SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS

This year, Get Healthy Utah introduced Corporate Sponsorships! Current corporate sponsors include Gold sponsor, Utah League of Cities and Towns; Silver sponsor Smith’s Food and Drug; and Bronze sponsors AARP Utah, DMBA, CommonSpirit, and University of Utah Health Plans. We are also grateful to all of our other sponsors and exhibitors who made this Annual Event possible! We appreciate those who spoke and tabled at our event, providing healthy snacks and great resources. We're proud to partner with organizations who share our mission of making Utah a healthier place to live.

To view the presentation slide decks, other resources, and more, click HERE

Thirty-five designated communities have implemented strategies to encourage safe use and disposal of medication as one of their Mental Wellness strategies. 

Overview

A way to reduce substance misuse in your community is by providing drug take-back boxes. This allows community members to safely dispose of prescription medications that are not environmentally friendly (i.e. cannot be thrown away or flushed). Increase your community members’ and environment’s safety by implementing disposal services and participating campaigns like the DEA’s National Drug Take Back Day. 

 

Why is it important? 

“Old prescriptions left unsecured in the home can often be an easy source for someone thinking about unsafely using prescription medications and can be dangerous for pets or children who may accidentally ingest them. They can also be confusing for elderly people who may have multiple prescriptions.” - NABP. Also from NABP come these scary statistics: 

 

 

How do I do it? 

Utah passed two codes (58-17b-623 and 67-5-36) that set up the regulations for disposal of unused prescription drugs and a drug disposal program respectively. 58-17b-623 is straightforward: it gives Utah pharmacies the right to accept unused prescription medication for disposal “in accordance with administrative rules adopted by the divisions.” These divisions follow federal law and regulations regarding drug disposal. 

67-5-26, which sets up regulations for the drug take-back program. This code includes two important definitions: 

“Environmentally friendly” drugs, where are: 

1. Non-retrievable as determined by the attorney general
2. Non-hazardous, as determined by the department
3. Permissible to dispose in a landfill in a manner that does not violate state or federal law relating to surface water or groundwater

“Home controlled substance disposal receptacle,” which is provided by the program for individual use to make a small amount of controlled substances non-retrievable and environmentally friendly at home. This includes drug disposal bags, discussed below. 

The state attorney general heads most of Utah’s drug take-back programming, but they can also “establish a process for residents of the county to obtain a home controlled substance disposal receptacle.” Here are some rules around that: 

Options for Medication Disposal Receptacles: 

Stericycle MedDrop Take Back Kiosks: 

In addition to safeguarding your community and your environment, this company support data tracking and analytics. “Stericycle’s proprietary DEA tracking system records the weight of every kiosk box received.” 

MedSafe Medication Disposal: 

MedSafe boxes accept controlled (Schedules II-V), non-controlled, and over-the counter medicines and meets all the requirements of the DEA Controlled Substances Act. More about MedSafe can be found in their brochure below: 

Where to find/place disposal boxes: 

Walgreens and CVS are two businesses that often offer drug disposal locations. They have. There are also drug-takeback programs that can be found through the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s locator tool, two National Prescription Drug Take Back Days, and drug disposal bags that your health department or pharmacies should have available, where residents can safely dispose of their pills in a powder that dissolves them, then the back can be safely placed in the trash. 

CVS offers a “Home controlled substance disposal receptacle” called DisposeRx®: When combined with warm water and added to a pill bottle, DisposeRx® turns medications into a biodegradable gel, which can be safely discarded at home. DisposeRx® packets are available at select CVS Pharmacy locations for certain prescriptions. 

Utah’s POC for law enforcement that wants to start a drug-takeback program is DI Darrick Snyder (571-387-4972). If this changes, you can find the updated information HERE.

Here are the places cities usually place drop-off locations, after they’ve been registered with the DEA: 

• Pharmacies, including independent stores and chains
• Police departments
• Fire stations
• Hospitals
• Municipal buildings

 

Resources: 

Where and How to Dispose of Unused Medicines | FDA

• Video and short paragraphs on the different drug disposal programs, including at-home and take-home options.

A dose of reality: How to dispose of unwanted medication

• DisposeRx information, as well as at-home options to education your community members.

Drug Take-Back and Disposal Programs: Summary of State Laws 

• Table that tells the Statues(s) and regulations, effective dates, and program components of Utah’s drug take-back programs (pages, 260-262). 

Prevention - Medication Disposal | Weber Human Services

• Example list from Ogden of where to place medication disposal drop boxes in your community.

Drug Disposal: Drug Take-Back Options

• Three main options for communities to implement drug take-back programs, including events, drop box locations, and prepaid mail-back envelopes. 

DEA National Take Back Day

• Collection site locator and information to get involved with Take Back Day, which occurs in April and October every year. 

Curb the Crisis: Medication Disposal

• Quick rundown of 5 disposal methods for prescription medication

POC List for Prescription Drug Take Back Day

• Point of Contact to set up prescription drug take-back programs for law enforcement.

MedSafe Medication Disposal: 

• Option for installing a medication disposal box. 

Stericycle MedDrop Take Back Kiosks: 

• Option for installing a medication disposal box.

 

Forty-seven designated communities* have established an accessible community sports program or offered a free or low-cost fitness event as one of their Active Living strategies.

Community Sports Programs or Events for Adults and Children Overview

“45 million children and adolescent participants in the US. Seventy five percent of American families with school-aged children have at least one child participating in organized sports.” - National Library of Medicine. Free or low-cost programs or events include youth sports leagues, community tournaments, access to community centers, 5k runs, fitness challenges, school activity initiatives, and more. Like most Designation strategies, these programs require the commitment and support of the whole community to function properly, from you in the local government to schools, parents, children, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. 

 

Why is it important? 

“Getting people active could save the global economy nearly $68 billion annually in medical costs and productivity. The U.S. alone could save up to $28 billion. And individuals could find $2,500 or more in their pocket if they move for 30 minutes five times per week.” - The Lancet Physical Activity Series via Project Play.

Why is it important? 

The Aspen Institute’s Project Play gives a list of health benefits of youth sports: 

• Regular activity benefits healthy bones, muscles and joints; controls weight and reduces fat; prevents or delays development of high blood pressure
• Sports participation is a significant predictor of young adults’ participation in sports and physical activity throughout their lifetime
• Active communities are healthier 
• Active children are less obese in a time that the obesity epidemic continues
• Sports activity helps children develop and improve cognitive skills

• Physical activity correlates with better mental health in youth 
• Sports can positively impact personal development among young people
• Sports provide opportunities for meaningful daily interactions, which reduces loneliness and increases community involvement

 

How do you do it?

Perhaps more than any other strategy, this one must be tailored to your community’s needs and resources. Therefore, while this section will have pieces of general advice, it also includes numerous examples from Designated communities of all sizes, as small as Annabella (population: 900) and as large as West Valley (population 139,000).

Whether you’re starting a youth sports league, developing a Pickleball tournament, or organization a one-time 5k race, this Brief Guide to Community Event Planning provides the must-dos: 

 

Some of the most popular events or programs outside of youth sports (which is the #1), include:

• Committed individuals or councils focused on health and wellness
• 5k runs, fun runs, annual themed races (biking or running) 
• Sports courts: tennis, pickleball, basketball, volleyball, frisbee golf
• School fitness: Outride Program, fitness competitions
• Annual employee passes, sliding scale fees, scholarships for youth sports programs and access to sports/community/recreation centers
• Active community engagement events

 

Youth Sports

Ankored, whose mission is to simplify the way organizations keep youth sports safe, released Administration 101: The Complete Guide to Running a Youth Sports Organization to help build strong foundations for your youth sports program. To run a smooth and effective program or league, you will need a sports administrator that often works with a board or committee who oversees the program’s activities and makes high-level decisions. 

In this handbook, Anchored details 9 key areas sports administrators will take responsibility for. 

1. Establishing a Legal Entity

You can stay classed as an unincorporated association, which will save effort and costs in the beginning, but cause problems later as you grow. It also leaves individuals liable if things go wrong. 

If you choose to form a legal entity, usually the program will be a 501(c)(3) or an LLC. An LLC offers liability protection and flexibility in tax purposes. A 501(c)(3) is a non-profit sports team and will give you tax-exempt status from the IRS. However, to establish a non-profit, you will need to elect corporate offers, apply for a tax ID number, and more. Tax or legal advisors can help you determine which is the best route for you.

2. Getting Insurance

“Insurance is an absolutely critical part of running a youth sports organization.” Consider the following types of insurance: 

You don’t need all of these; types of insurance will be determined by your specific program’s needs. However, you absolutely should be covered by accident insurance, general liability insurance, and equipment insurance. 

3.  Managing a Budget

Establishing a budget and financial management will help you determine how to structure your program (does your sports admin need a board of directors or a committee or neither?). When developing your estimated revenue and expenses, here are some suggested line items: 

• • • Equipment
    • Staffing 
    • Training
    • Insurance
    • Rental expenses
    • Marketing & communications
    • Miscellaneous expenses

If you’re at the beginning of your program, you can track your budget on a spreadsheet. It would be beneficial to invest in a financial management software, however, which will also help you collect payments and manage invoices on top of tracking your budget.

4. Establishing a Code of Conduct

Your code of conduct should include expectations of coaches, players, parents, and organization staff (even if it’s just your sports admin). This document should also detail what behaviors are unacceptable and outline the mission of your program. Distribute your Code of Conduct to all players, coaches, parents, and staff at the start of the season. Have each individual sign it to confirm they have read and accepted it.

Ankored gives 4 example Codes of Conduct to get the ball rolling. You don’t have to start from scratch!

5. Becoming Compliant

“Compliance means adhering to any applicable laws and regulations dictated by federal, state, and local governing bodies.” Make sure you are aware and following all local, state, and federal laws that apply to your program. Ankored has a Compliance Guide for Youth Sports with a checklist of areas you should cover. 

Some compliance subjects to keep in mind: 

• • • The federal Safe Sport Act
    • Return-to-play concussion legislation
    • Background check laws
    • Abuse prevention training
    • Waivers

6. Registering Players

Registration is a process with many moving parts. You will need to create, distribute, and collect: 

Registration is a great time to ask parents if they want to help out; add a question about volunteering on the registration form to make it easier for them and you. 

Registration involves collecting and storing private/personal information, so make sure you’re doing this in a safe and secure way. While HIPAA is not a legal requirement for all youth sports programs, Ankored suggests you use it as a guideline to help you keep a high level of privacy. Their Compliance Guide for Youth Sports (linked above) goes more in depth about HIPAA and tips for how you can follow it. 

7. Hiring Coaches and Staff 

While the legal requirements are different for volunteers than paid staff, you should still have a volunteer agreement in place and run background checks on anyone interacting with minors. All of your staff and volunteers should go through abuse prevention training as well.

8. Setting up a Scheduling System

Once you’ve started your program and built the legal foundations, you will start into the day-to-day administration. When you build out your program’s schedule, you need to manage 

• • • Board meetings 
    • Coach meetings
    • Try-outs
    • Training sessions
    • Games
    • Social events (fundraisers, family engagement)

9. Marketing Tasks

The main and most important marketing materials of this day and age are website, social media, and mailing lists. Centerville (population 16,500) is active on social media and keeps an up-to-date resource page of their city website that provides information about healthy food access, physical activity opportunities, and connecting with mental health resources. These are great ways to keep the community informed about your services, including youth sports programs, and increase registrations and volunteer sign-ups.

Many large companies are invested in Youth Sports, both in building programs and making them accessible to all children. HERE is a list of 50 Companies who sponsor athletes in Youth Sports. 

An example of sponsorships and corporation collaboration comes from Woods Cross (population 11,500). They partnered with the Utah Hockey Club to offer a street hockey league through the local elementary school.

 

Committed individuals or councils focused on health and wellness

According to Project Play, athletic councils can employ key mechanisms: 

When you are building your council or committee, you want to make sure many types of sectors are represented, including different types of sports, education, and community leaders.

For example, Santaquin (population 15,400) created an ongoing section titled "Healthy Santaquin" on their quarterly Santaquin Community Services Board Committee agenda, setting aside time to discuss activities, points of policy, and events that impact the health of residents. Many cities and towns utilize their recreation departments to manage healthy priorities and programs. 

Centerville (population 16,500) established a full-time position within their recreation department specific to health and wellness for the whole community. 

St. George (population 84,500) has a LiveWell Coalition which regularly meets to discuss ways to improve the health of residents. The Coalition conducted a needs assessment of the health of the community to determine what residents need and want.

 

5k Running Events

First and foremost - work with your Parks and Recreation department to determine and obtain the necessary permits (unless another department in your local government oversees special events). 

Race Entry has built out a Race Director Guide that details the 4 crucial steps for planning a 5k race. 

1. Creating an Online Race Registration Form

Your registration form should be fast and simple for participants; do not require account creation if possible and customize the form to each of your races instead of using a general sign-up.

2. Planning a Running Location

To select your running location, you need to think through several factors: 

• • • Proximity to target market
    • Scenic attractions
    • Safety (will you need to close busy roads?)
    • Anticipated number of participants
    • Budget (permits, barricades, marketing materials, snacks/water…)

3. Creating a Race Course

There are 5 million and 1 5ks every year, but you can still make yours special by tailoring it to your community. What scenery or attractions will participants like to see on their runs? 

Also consider the elevation. This can determine how well it can be used for walking versus biking races. 

When you’re building the shape of your course, the best option is an out-and-back or a loop so that the start and end are in the same place. You can also explore unique shapes (that still start/end in the same place!) so people can watch the shape unfold as they run.

4. Organizing a Fun Run

The best way to get your community involved in your 5k is by focusing on the community itself, which makes your run a Fun Run! Here are some example themes from designated Healthy Utah Communities: 

• • • Manti (population 3,600) hosted a Senior Walk
    • Grantsville (population 14,400) offers several annual 5k races: PTA Glow Run, 4th of July Race, and Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.
    • Every year, South Jordan (population 80,000) offers the SoJo Race Series, a year-round series of kids runs, 5ks, and 10ks. 

Once you have your theme (including the race’s name!), work into your budget things like decorations, on-theme food, and any other thematic elements. 

After you’ve built out your 5k, you’ll need to promote it. Use your city website, social media channels, newsletters, and community groups to advertise the when, where, and how much. Race entry has a Race Promotion Guide if your registration is struggling or you want to open your races beyond your city or town community. One key point is to open your registration - or at the very least a countdown page - one year in advance. Give people time to prepare and train. 

Race Entry has 12 steps for directing your 5k race. We will go through the most important ones here: 

Create a budget

Talk to neighboring race organizers about what they spend on certain line items, which should include: 

• Permits
• Bib
• Aid station supplies
• Barricades
• Volunteer snacks
• Water bottles
• Start and finish line decor
• Prizes and medals
• Timing 
• Shirts and merchandise
• Marketing/outreach

Develop a Sponsorship Program

To use your 5k race as a Designation strategy, it needs to be low-cost or free to the community. Therefore, you probably won’t offset your costs solely on registration fees. Another way to build revenue is by creating sponsorship levels and packages to pitch to local businesses. Sponsorship packages should include marketing benefits (a.k.a. promo for the business). Business contributions can come from monetary sponsorships, but you can also lean on in-kind donations (maybe the local grocery store will donate snacks, or a gift shop can provide prizes), or volunteer hours. 

Prepare a Safety Plan

Coordinate with the police if you need security at your event, and make sure you have proper traffic safety devices (cones, barricades). When considering medical and emergency response, you can consult with a sports medicine professional to determine what your event’s specific needs may be. 

Time to Race Properly

Consider 4 things when you're looking for a timer: 

• Technology
• Experience
• Proximity
• Pricing

This is another question to ask neighboring race organizations: what did they budget for timers and timing technology? Who did they use? What is their process? How much you invest in a timer should be equivalent to the size of your race. If it is small, under 200 participants, you can probably use free options to time the race yourself, but you will need the help of volunteers to coordinate timing. If your race is over 200 people, you really should look into investing into an experienced timer and upgraded technology. 

Shirts and Bibs

Shirts are a great souvenir and a way to build community with race participants. Bibs easily identify who is an official participant (as some bystanders or viewers might end up with shirts as well). The bibs should be designed to be quickly read to make timing easier.

Prepare Aid Stations, Hydration & Food

Try to place aid stations every two miles, stocked with water and electrolyte beverages. If you are providing port-a-potties, ensure that you have the proper distance between them and your aid station (check with the health department what the distance is). Other commodities to have at aid stations include pain relievers and food that’s easy to eat on the run (gel packs, granola bars).

At the finish line, you should have high-protein food to support race recovery. This is a great time to ask local markets or restaurants for in-kind donations as a type of sponsorship. Common foods you’ll find at 5k finish lines: 

• Doughnuts 
• Water
• Coffee
• Tea
• Hot chocolate
• Protein bars
• Trail mix

Recruit and Train Volunteers

Incentives and positive experiences are the best ways to recruit and retain volunteers. Incentives can include a volunteer appreciation gift or party, or free registration/merch. Some pools you can recruit volunteers from: 

• Student volunteer organizations
• Local businessesScout troops
• Cheerleading squads
• Youth organizations

Make sure you have a reliable volunteer tracking system that keeps contact information, number of individual volunteers and volunteer hours. 

Course Clean Up & Post-Race Review

Have dedicated volunteers for clean-up and set-up to ensure you clean up properly. When the race is finished (and cleaned up!), conduct a review with the following groups: 

• Your team
• Volunteer team managers
• Vendors
• Sponsors
• Participants 

Ask everyone: what went well, what didn’t, and what changes should be made for next year? Make sure you personalize your thanks to sponsors and build renewal prospects into follow-up conversations. 

Your participant survey will be the longest and go to the most people. 

Try to add demographics into your survey (age/age range, gender, annual income range, how long they’ve been running). 

Here is a list by Race Entry of the supplies you’ll need for your race.

 

Sports Courts: tennis, pickleball, basketball, volleyball, frisbee golf, futsal

A great way to get your community more active is by providing free tools and opportunities for them. Many Designated communities have upgraded sports facilities in parks, community and recreation centers, or even repurposed buildings to focus on physical health. Introducing free tournaments is another incentive for community members to utilize these resources. Here are some examples: 

• Annabella ( population 900) installed new equipment to the exercise room in their Community Center, which led to youth participation tripling. They also added a volleyball net to the facility.
• Blanding (population 3,200) added new pickleball courts at the local park and hosted free tournaments.
• Manti (population 3,600) citizens worked together to refurbish tennis courts into tennis courts. The city also hosted fitness activities at their new sports complex.
• Kanab (population 5,100) offers tennis courts, trails, a skate park, and a track.
• Ephraim (population 6,200) installed a frisbee-golf course.
• Grantsville (population 14,400) offers Tai Chi classes at its local senior centers.
• Centerville (population 16,500), through their recreation department, regularly sponsors pickleball tournaments and kickball leagues for youth and adults.
• Payson (population 22,000) maintains a variety of outdoor amenities like pickle ball courts, disc golf courses, and basketball courts.
• Millcreek (population 61,700) installed a futsal court in a portion of the city home to lower-income, immigrant, and refugee populations. 
• Provo (population 113,500) is working to build outdoor fitness stations with outdoor exercise equipment (you can find an example HERE, or in the Resources section below)

 

School Fitness Programs

Kanab (population 5,100) engaged families in physical activity by starting a healthy school competition between elementary students and their parents. Students and parents were provided pedometers to track steps for 20 days. This recorded 27 million steps in its pilot year! This competition was so successful it is now an annual event in Kanab. 

South Salt Lake (population 25,500) and Washington (population 32,700) both implemented programs that provide bicycles to residents who don’t have one. Washington also conducts the Outride Bike Program for elementary and middle school students. Outride Bike offers grants that invest in programs that unlock the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of cycling. 

The CDC also has a list of strategies and resources for school and youth physical activity. The strategies include: 

• Physical activity clubs
• Recreational sports for fun (intramural programs)
• Interscholastic sports (competitive sports between schools)
• Access to team and individual sports 
• Physical activity in before and after school programs

 

Reducing Barriers

A great way to increase the physical health in your community is to reduce the barriers to sports leagues, activity centers, and other programs. In some Designated communities, like Blanding (population 3,200) and Sandy (population 96,100) businesses increase employee physical health by providing annual passes to the recreation center, or participating in recognition programs that spotlight companies championing good health. 

Other Designated programs, like Park City (population 8,300) and South Salt Lake (population 25,500)  offer a sliding fee scale for youth and adult programs. Other options are scholarships and vouchers, which is what Designated communities St. George (population 84,500) and Provo (population 113,500) offer. 

 

Community Engagement Events

Finally, community engagement events, whether one-time or annual, are a great way to connect your community while encouraging physical activity. For example, Grantsville (population 14,400) hosts an annual Children’s Pioneer Day Parade and Bicycle Hike to the Splash Pad. 

Challenges are also a great way to increase involvement. St George (population 84,500) offered a six-week-long community fitness challenge that saw over 600 registrants and a 73% completion rate. South Jordan (population 80,000) hosts a Winter Fitness Challenge where residents set and meet exercise goals during the cold winter months then report back to receive prizes.

These community engagement events are more important than ever during the obesity and loneliness epidemics facing Utahns. They build social cohesion, which improves mental health, as well as increasing physical activity (and therefore improving physical health). Getting local businesses involved is an added bonus of strengthening your local economy. Ascent Mental Health provided a list of community event benefits: 

• Builds lasting social connections
• Boosts your mental well-being
• Helps you discover new skills and passions
• Strengthens local support systems 
• Encourages involvement in civic life
• Supports the local economy
• Provides fun ways to stay active
• Creates safer, more connected neighborhoods
• Celebrates diversity and culture
• Drives positive change

 

Why Focus on Physical Health? 

 “Without regular activity, your body slowly loses its strength, stamina and ability to function properly. It’s like the old saying: You don’t stop moving from growing old; you grow old from stopping moving. Exercise increases muscle strength, which in turn increases your ability to do other physical activities.” - American Heart Association. In children, physical activity improves memory, attention, and concentration. It reduces disruptive behavior and helps children stay on tasks. In adults, physical activity supports mental wellbeing and reduces the risk of chronic conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes. 

Utah cities and towns play an important role in shaping active lifestyles through policies, programs, land use decisions, and partnerships.

 

Resources

 *These are designated communities of varying populations that have successfully implemented a community garden. Reach out to them to see if they can share their tips and tricks:

1. Ephraim
2. Payson
3. West Valley

 

Administration 101: The Complete Guide to Running a Youth Sports Organization

• In-depth how-to for all aspects of starting and maintaining a farmers market, with success stories and added resources included. 

How cities and counties can establish local athletic councils to coordinate sports in their community

•  Key mechanisms athletic councils can employ with examples of councils from Fairfax, Virginia and Kansas City, Kansas. 

50 Companies Looking to Sponsor Youth Sport Athletes | TeamLinkt 

•  List of potential corporate funding sources for youth sports programs.

How to Organize a 5K Race: Successful Planning Guide 

• Details 4 steps for developing a 5k fun run, tips on how to promote your runs, and how to manage and direct them once they arrive.

A Brief Guide to Community Event Planning 

• A 6-point, 2-pager guide on community event planning.

Youth Sports Facts: Benefits - Project Play 

• Delves deep into the science behind the health, educational, mental, social, emotional, and financial benefits of youth sports.

Youth sport: positive and negative impact on young athletes - PMC 

• In addition to the well-known benefits, this paper discusses the negative impacts of youth sports, including increasing sports-related injuries, overemphasized winning, and challenges based in ethnic cultures, genders, communities, and socioeconomic levels. 

Greenfields Outdoor Fitness - Outdoor exercise equipment

• Example of outdoor fitness equipment you can install in your public parks.

Outride Bike Program

• Outride provides research, cycling programs, and funding to empower all people to experience the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of cycling. 

Strategies for School and Youth Programs | Physical Activity | CDC 

• Brief overview of types of physical activity programs for youth, plus a robust list of resources.

The Powerful Benefits of Engaging in Community Events — Ascent Mental Health 

• Details how community engagement events benefit the individual and the community. 

Encouraging Active Living Through Community Events 

• Overview of why active community events are important in rural towns with examples of how to do it.

Why Is Physical Activity So Important for Health and Well-Being? | American Heart Association 

• Lists the major reasons that physical activity is important in multiple areas. 

 

 

Is your city or town on the path to being a Healthy Utah Community?

Apply here 

Reach out to our program coordinator, Emma, to learn more about the designation and get guidance on the application process: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..