Connect
The Connected Community, Healthy Community Speaker & Discussion Series from Heal Reno County features three speakers addressing community health, from the social determinants of health to life expectancy to community engagement. The events are free and open to the public at The Wool Market & DIY School, 420 N. Main in Hutchinson, but seating is limited.
April 16, 6-8pm
Benjamin Winchester, Rural Sociologist with University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality
"Rewriting the Rural Narrative"
Winchester will illuminate Reno County trends occurring under the radar to show how positive changes around migration, community involvement, economic development, and regional living may require us to rewrite the narrative of rural community change. Following his talk, we will discuss Winchester's findings about Reno County in light of the 2019 County Health Rankings.
Winchester will also present two other sessions while in Hutchinson: an abbreviated "Rewriting the Rural Narrative" presentation at the Chamber Breakfast on April 17 at 7am at the Atrium Conference Center (advance registration required here) and "Moving In, Moving Out, and Moving Over" on April 17 at 8:30am at the Atrium Conference Center (advance registration requested here).
Learn more about Benjamin Winchester here.
May 14, 6-8 pm
Sarah Smarsh, bestselling author and National Book Award finalist
"Place, Class, Health: The Impact of Environment & Economics on Personal Wellness"
Smarsh will draw from her 2018 book "Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard an Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth" to discuss her upbringing among the working poor in South-Central Kansas and the relationship between our health outcomes and the environment we live in. Following her talk, we will discuss Smarsh's research and experience in relation to the US Census life expectancy data on Reno County that was released in 2018.
Learn more about Sarah Smarsh here.
June 11, 6-8 pm
Benjamin Anderson, CEO of Kearny County Hospital in Lakin, KS
"Population Health: Defining Outcomes by Asking the Right Questions"
Anderson will share the story of how one frontier healthcare delivery system is making the transition from an internal focus on traditional process improvement to patient-centered outcomes by collaborating and successfully soliciting the input of 80% of the households in its culturally diverse communities to redefine the county's strategy for improving population health. Following his talk, we will reveal Reno County's 2019 Community Health Improvement Plan and discuss efforts to make progress.
Learn more about Benjamin Anderson here.
July 16, 5-7 pm
Party in the Park - A Community Celebration
in SW Bricktown Park
Join us to celebrate the completion of Hutchinson's Parks & Recreation Master Plan, recent improvements to SW Bricktown Park, and the conclusion of the speaker & discussion series. At 5:30, hear from local leaders about opportunities for you to find your place in helping to heal Reno County.
Funding for this series was made possible by the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS). Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of BCBSKS or BCBSA; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by either organization.
Our community calendar features upcoming events in Reno County. Would you like to help? Get involved.
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© HEAL Reno County - Live Happy. Live Healthy.
