Welness Center receives grant

  POPLARVILLE – The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation recently approved a third grant to Pearl River Community College for continuation and expansion of its Wildcat Wellness initiative.
  PRCC received $147,493 for the initiative’s third phase.
  “We are so honored to have this opportunity to help improve the health and wellness of individuals living in this area,” said Dr. Tara Rouse, Wellness Center director.
  The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation awarded $286,270 to PRCC in 2012 to replace outdated exercise equipment and construct an outdoor walking track. A $68,000 grant from the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation financed lighting and restrooms at the track.
  Blue Cross awarded a second grant of $198,171 in 2015 to enhance the Wildcat Wellness Initiative through summer camps for elementary school children, assistance with the “Get Ready to Run” program in Poplarville elementary schools and purchasing outdoor exercise equipment along with bicycles for PRCC students to lease.
  The latest grant will allow for continuation of the camps, running programs and nutrition demonstrations along with purchase of workstation exercise equipment and construction of a campus bike lane.
  Monthly fun runs will begin in February, and a healthy cooking demonstration will be part of the Feb. 21 Parent University at Poplarville Lower Elementary School, Rouse said.
  The Go-Cub-Wild kids’ camps will be held June 19-22. Online registration is available at www.gocubwild.com. Call 601 403-1340 for details.