Elevate - Summer 2021

S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 Owensboro Health

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jeff Carpenter, Chair Robert Farmer, Vice-Chair William Harrison, MD, Secretary Candance Castlen Brake Susanne Harris Nick Hetman Anthony McBride, MD ®

ADMINISTRATION

Mark Marsh, President & CEO Jeff Thomas, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Francis DuFrayne, MD, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer Mia Suter, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer Ward Begley, JD, LL.M, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer

A Message from Owensboro Health

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elcome to the summer edition of Elevate! This time of year is perfect for family fun and the area has no shortage of ways to enjoy the summer sun. We are proud to support our communities by sponsoring some of the region’s best events like the Owensboro Air Show and ROMP. If you’re looking for fun things to do in your community, we’ve got a great list of ideas inside - all submitted by Owensboro Health team members. Please remember

to

follow

current

Deborah Bostic, Chief Operating Officer of Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

COVID-19

recommendations to keep yourself and those around you safe.

And as you start thinking about

back-to-school

time,

read

how

Owensboro Health encourages our healthcare providers to keep learning to better serve our community, and how we’re working to keep studentathletes on top of their game.

Ed Heath, Chief Operating Officer of Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital Tim Belec, Vice President, Chief Information Officer Ashley Herrington, Chief Operating Officer of Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center Bill Bryant, MD, Vice President, Chief Quality & Patient Safety Officer

Andrew Pierce, MD Phil Riney Dave Roberts Gavin Roberts Vicki Stogsdill, RN Angela Thompson, JD Michael Yeiser, MD

David Danhauer, MD, Vice President, Chief Medical Information Officer Trina Daves, Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer, Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center Ramona Hieneman, JD, Vice President, Compliance and Privacy Ruby Jacildo, Vice President, Accounting/Controller Steve Johnson, Vice President, Government & Community Affairs Lisa Jones, Vice President, Ancillary Services Michael Kelley, MD, Vice President, Medical Affairs Kathleen Myer, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer, Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital Russ Ranallo, Vice President, Finance Joni Sims, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital James Tidwell III, MD, Vice President, Population Health

We hope you enjoy this issue

of Elevate and that you stay happy

ELEVATE CREATIVE TEAM

and healthy!

Department Leads: Brian Hamby, Director of Marketing; Somer Wilhite, Manager of Marketing Communications Editor: Jacqueline Russell

ON THE COVER Mark Marsh began his role as president and CEO of Owensboro Health in June and he’s ready to be an engaged member of the community. Read his story on page 4.

Art Direction: Randa Pence Layout and Design: Tanner+West Photography: Charles Mahlinger, Jamie Alexander Digital: Katie Roberts

CONTACT Main Line: 270-417-2000

CONNECT WITH US! OwensboroHealth.org/Elevate

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Discover the latest news at Facebook.com/OwensboroHealth

Follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/OwensboroHealth

Owensboro Health S U M M E R 2 0 2 1

24-Hour Health Info Line: 855-417-8555 Or visit OwensboroHealth.org Information in Elevate comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations.

Owensboro Air Show August 14-15 | Downtown Owensboro

All eyes will be on the skies over the Ohio River in downtown Owensboro as performers showcase vintage warbirds, aerobatic demonstrations, and military jets, including the USAF Viper Demo Team and the US Navy Blue Angels.

Yellow Creek Park during ROMP Fest 2019. Please remember to take proper COVID-19 precautions if you anticipate being in a crowd.

Downtown ROMP Air Show After Party

August 14 | Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum Outdoor Stage

A concert event following the Owensboro Air Show featuring Wolfpen Branch, Fireside Collective, Airshow and Barefoot Movement.

Visit BluegrassHall.org for ticket information.

ROMP Fest September 15-18 Yellow Creek Park

After an incredibly difficult year for our communities, Owensboro Health is committed to helping everyone move forward.

It’s safe to say the last year has been hard on all of us. Individually, we’ve felt the huge losses from the pandemic: loss of loved ones, jobs and stability. As a community, our local businesses and organizations have also felt the strain. Owensboro Health is proud to support our region as we all recover from the past year.

Our Mission is to heal the sick and to improve the health of our community. We’ve lived that mission in recent days by treating COVID-19 patients in our hospitals, offering convenient ways to get tested across our region and providing nearly 100,000 vaccine doses to our community.

However, we know healing goes far beyond traditional medicine, and that arts and special events play an important role in creating a healthy community. That’s why Owensboro Health is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Owensboro Air Show in partnership with the mayor and the City of Owensboro, as well as the Downtown ROMP Air Show After Party and ROMP Fest in partnership with the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

These events are not only good for our economy, but they’re also good for our community’s mental health. We look forward to being a strong community partner as we move toward a healthy future!

A four-day Bluegrass music festival takes over Yellow Creek Park in Daviess County. In addition to concerts, artist-led instrument workshops take place throughout the day, as ROMP artists interact with fans and players of all ages and skill levels.

Other workshops and forums include songwriting, clogging and flat-foot dancing, yoga and bluegrass jamming 101. ROMP also features organic and farm-to-table food vendors, craft vendors featuring Kentucky Proud products, art installations and professionally-led children’s activities. For more info, visit ROMPFest.com.

If your organization is working toward a healthier community and you would like to request support from Owensboro Health, please go to OwensboroHealth.org/Request.

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New CEO Is Here For Community

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wensboro Health’s new President and CEO Mark Marsh has been very clear about one thing since he started his role in June: he’s here to be part of the community.

A healthcare executive who has led hospitals in

Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida — Marsh originally hails from Cincinnati, but the Owensboro area is a familiar one. Friends and family abound in the region and as a parent, he’s watched his children compete in swim meets at the Owensboro Health Healthpark and play ball games on the fields in town. Years before, he played quarterback for the Western Kentucky University football team that made the NCAA playoffs in both 1987 and 1988; he also played baseball for WKU.

It’s the welcoming culture that drew Marsh back to

Kentucky from Orlando, and he intends to be an engaged member of the community.

Marsh is excited to “be part of the fabric of the

community,” he said. “I am purposely spending my first 90 days as an observer—conducting a listening tour and connecting with our community members and leaders.

I hope to gain insights that will allow us to enhance and expand our healthcare services and become even more vital. This feedback will help determine what’s needed for years to come.”

During his first week at Owensboro Health, he sent

out a survey to the more than 5,000 team members he now leads and asked about their favorite activities in the region. The results (to the right) are just a jumping-off point for him and his family as they get to know the area even more. His wife Julie and children, Clay, Austin and Elizabeth are all ready to experience what the region has to offer.

He also wants to ensure that the Owensboro Health

System is a good community partner and began his role by announcing three major sponsorships from Owensboro Health—the Owensboro Air Show, the Downtown ROMP Air Show After Party and ROMP Fest. Beyond the financial support, Marsh vowed to be in attendance himself to meet members of the community and hear their ideas.

“If you see me out, be sure to say hello,” Marsh said.

“I am grateful for the warm welcome I’ve received and I

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Owensboro Health S U M M E R 2 0 2 1

Mark Marsh enjoys a walk downtown with his wife Julie and their children, Clay, Austin and Elizabeth.

cannot wait to see the good things we can do together.”

ABOUT MARK MARSH Marsh served as president of Health Central Hospital in Orlando, Florida from 2016 to 2021. As part of the Orlando Health system, he expanded the heart program, achieved national recognition for quality and opened new cancer and rehabilitation centers. Last January, he opened Horizon West—a new, six-story hospital in Orange County.

His 25-year executive career also includes CEO tenures at Gateway Medical Center in Clarksville, Tennessee; Greenview Regional Hospital in Bowling Green, Kentucky; and Marshall Medical Center in Lewisburg, Tennessee.

Public notice of nondiscrimination and accessibility Owensboro Health, Inc. complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. Owensboro Health, Inc., does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.

Owensboro Health, Inc.: 1. Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as: » Qualified sign language interpreters » Written information in other formats, based on an individual’s needs 2. Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as: » Qualified interpreters » Information written in other languages

AREA RECOMMENDATIONS

If you need these services, contact a staff member or supervisor.

FROM OUR TEAM MEMBERS:

If you believe that Owensboro Health, Inc. has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with the Office of Risk Management:

Friday After 5

Festivals at Lu-Ray Park

Church picnics

Office of Risk Management Owensboro Health 1201 Pleasant Valley Rd. Owensboro, KY 42303

Rough River Dam State Park Concert Series

You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax, or email. If you need help filing a grievance, a Patient Relations specialist is available to help you.

EVENTS

ROMP Owensboro Porch Fest International Bar-B-Q Festival

The Twin Lakes National Fiddler Championship Classic Car Cruise-ins

Owensboro Air Show

ACTIVITIES Going to the movies at Malco or the Holiday Drive-In Swimming at city pools Hiking the trails at Rudy Mines, Panther Creek Park, Yellow Creek Park Boating on the Ohio River Visiting Nolin Lake

Kayaking

Phone: 270-691-7887 TTY: 270-688-3719 Fax: 270-417-4809 email riskmanagement@owensborohealth.org

You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf, or by mail or phone at: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Room 509F, HHH Building Washington, D.C. 20201

Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.

Phone: 1-800-368-1019 TDD: 800-537-7697

Shopping at locally-owned shops Walking around downtown Owensboro Fishing Visiting Holiday World Ice skating at Edge Ice Center

English Translation/American Sign Language: Point to your language. An interpreter will be called. The interpreter is provided at no cost to you.

Language Solutions: Over-the-Phone, Video Remote, and Onsite Interpreting/Bilingual and Interpreter Staff Testing and Training/Translation and Localization

Attending car shows

Arabic

Mandarin

Horse shows in Muhlenberg County

Watching shows at Theater Workshop of Owensboro

Bosnian

Nepali

Camping

Visiting the Daviess County Public Library

Burmese

Oromo

Walking through the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden

French

Pennsylvanian Dutch

German

Russian

Hakha-Chin

Somali

Japanese

Spanish

Karen

Swahili

Karenni

Tagalog

Korean

Vietnamese

Enjoying Lake Malone

Going out to dinner Watching soccer games Visiting Reid’s Orchard Muhlenberg County Music Museum

Playing disc golf Teeing off at local golf courses

Kentucky Motor Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

Bowling

Listening to the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra

Visiting the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Playing at the parks and spray parks Shopping at the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market Attending shows at the RiverPark Center Visiting distilleries

Attending local sporting events

Playing tennis and pickleball Enjoying a silent disco Having a drink at local breweries Antiquing Cycling or walking on the Greenbelt

S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 Owensboro Health

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Simulations Provide

Critical Training

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s back to school time rolls around for students everywhere, team members at Owensboro Health are learning through inventive new ways. High-tech tools allow them to practice real-life hospital situations without ever putting a patient at risk.

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION Owensboro Health Foundation, Inc. is a subsidiary of Owensboro Health, Inc. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3), a not-for-profit organization, partnering with individuals, corporations, community organizations and other foundations to support a multitude of worthy health initiatives in western Kentucky and southern Indiana. Since its inception in 1993, the Foundation has supported numerous Owensboro Health projects impacting the lives of the people in our region. To learn more or make a donation, visit OwensboroHealth.org/Foundation.

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Owensboro Health S U M M E R 2 0 2 1

Known as clinical simulation, team members use manikins that respond like actual patients to train for different scenarios. The manikins resemble a CPR manikin, but they are shockingly smart. They breathe, bleed and even communicate how they are feeling.

They’re able to replicate the vital signs of a patient, including heartbeat and pulse, blood pressure and more. It can also be used to practice a number of clinical skills, such as defibrillation, chest tube insertion and breathing tube placement.

Educators simulate real-life conditions so team members can learn, practice and develop skills without any risk to actual patients. They learn hands-on technical skills and improve teamwork, communication, critical

thinking and judgment. This training allows them to respond with confidence in real-life situations.

Owensboro Health received its first adult simulation manikin more than 10 years ago. In 2018, funding from Owensboro Health Foundation purchased the adult simulator pictured above. Since that time, it has provided more than 5,000 training opportunities. This year, the Foundation is funding a pediatric manikin to train team members on the unique—and sometimes challenging—aspects of caring for sick children.

The child manikin will allow team members to train for a range of emergencies, like cardiac resuscitation and trauma care.

These opportunities for ongoing

education set Owensboro Health apart.

Not required by the government or overseeing agencies, many facilities are not able to provide this kind of training for their employees because of the cost.

Owensboro Health Foundation supports the Clinical Education department’s learning initiatives. With their help, the health system can take a forward-thinking, innovative approach to care.

Other projects recently funded by

Owensboro Health Foundation include ultrasound, respiratory and trauma department training programs. These projects allow our team members to serve patients better every day and are part of Owensboro Health’s core value of innovation.

Big Twigs

Bring Whimsy To Lake Malone An exciting attraction is coming to Lake Malone State Park in Muhlenberg County, and Owensboro Health is proud to be part of it.

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hree sculptures depicting a family of adventurous giants, will be moving into their new residence in the park later this summer! The Big Twigs family

of larger-than-life characters will include Happy Malone, who will welcome visitors at his campsite, Bobber Malone, who is lakeside fishing for the big catch, and Oakley Malone, living large on the park’s hiking trail! Guests can explore the magical story of the 14-foot sculptures, created by artist Steve Brauch of Brainchild Creative, LLC, free of charge.

Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital

was pleased to award a $15,000 sponsorship to the project, alongside the Felix E. Martin Jr. Foundation and Old National Bank.

“We are proud to support this community project which

encourages kids and adults alike to explore the beautiful scenery at Lake Malone and engage in physical activity,” Ed Health, Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital Chief Operating Officer said. “Hiking and enjoying the outdoors is beneficial for your body and mind, not to mention outdoor activities like visiting the Big Twigs are a great way to get back to a little more normalcy in a safe and healthy way.”

“This creative project closely aligns with Muhlenberg

County’s identified health needs and our mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities we serve,” he added.

Lake Malone State Park is located at State Route 8001

in Dunmor, Ky. and features more than 200 acres with wellmaintained hiking trails, camping sites, picnic pavilions and playground equipment. The 788-acre lake is enclosed by dramatic 50-foot sandstone bluffs and surrounded by hardwood forests of mountain laurel, holly, dogwood trees.

In addition to providing another recreational activity

in the area, The Muhlenberg County Tourism Commission is hopeful that the project will bring new visitors to Lake Malone, creating a positive economic impact on the region.

For more information about upcoming events in

Muhlenberg, go to VisitMuhlenberg.com.

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Preparing Athletes For A Safe Season Owensboro Health wants to make sure student-athletes are game-ready by offering specialty care just for them.

This back-to-school season, turn to Owensboro Health for sports physicals and our convenient walk-in clinics.

Sports Physicals

This exam helps determine whether it’s safe for you to participate in a certain sport. Most states actually require that kids and teens have a sports physical before they can start a new sport or begin a new competitive season. The two main parts of a sports physical are the medical history and the physical exam.

A sports physical can help you find out about and deal with health problems that might interfere with your participation in a sport. For example, if you have frequent asthma attacks but are a starting point guard, a doctor might be able to prescribe a different type of inhaler or adjust the dosage so that you can breathe more easily when you run.

Your doctor can also give you some ideas for avoiding injuries like doing certain stretching or strengthening activities. This expert advice can make you a better, stronger athlete.

We believe these physicals are so important that our providers offer them to student-athletes for just $25.

Sports physicals are available at Owensboro Health Medical Group Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, and each of the Owensboro Health Healthplexes in Powderly, Henderson and Madisonville. To schedule an appointment or learn more, call 270-417-7940.

Sports Medicine Walk-in Clinic

Mark McGinnis, an Orthopedic and Sports Medicine doctor at Owensboro Health identifies with student-athletes because he was one himself. McGinnis played basketball into his college career and was part of a special ball handling club where he learned an assortment of tricks!

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The Owensboro Health Sports Medicine Walk-in Clinic is designed to help you with emergencies like sprained joints and minor bone fractures, and give you access to advanced orthopedic and sports medicine care when you need it most.

The Walk-in Clinic sees patients that are age five and up, new and established, and you don’t have to be an athlete to be treated. Walk-in patients come in for many types of needs, including sprains, fractures, carpal tunnel, injuries, sore joints, concussions and more.

Our Sports Medicine Walk-in Clinic is located on the fifth floor of the Pleasant Valley Medical Building, which is connected to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and is open Monday through Friday, 8 to 11 a.m.

OWENSBORO HEALTH ORTHOPEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE Pleasant Valley Medical Building

(connected to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital) 1301 Pleasant Valley Road • 270-417-7940

Owensboro Health Healthpark 1006 Ford Ave. • 270-688-2110

Henderson Healthplex

1200 Barret Blvd. • 270-417-7940

Madisonville Healthplex 510 Ruby Dr. • 270-417-7940

Muhlenberg Healthplex

2025 W Everly Brothers Blvd.

270-377-2590

Tell City Clinic

421 Seventh St. • 812-547-7448

Leitchfield Clinic

908 Wallace Ave. • 270-230-0124

Beaver Dam Clinic

1213 N. Main St. • 270-417-7940

W. Scott Black, MD

Anthony McBride, MD

Mark McGinnis, MD

Bryce Meredith, DO

Isaac Miller, MD

Jody Mitchell, MD

Ted B. Rogers, MD

Reid Wilson, MD

Abdalnasser Zayed, MD

Where to get a vaccine

Pharmacy Residents

Ready to get your COVID-19 vaccine? Owensboro Health offers vaccines at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy, a drive-thru vaccination site at The Springs Health Centre and at Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital. To schedule an appointment, visit OwensboroHealth.org/Vaccine or call 270-685-7100, option 6.

LEARN THROUGH SERVICE

Owensboro Health’s Pharmacy Residency Program, a 12-month postgraduate training program that centers on the development of knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to excel in a professional healthcare setting, just wrapped up its seventh year. And it was a year for which no one could have planned.

Residency Program Director Kristan Higgs, PharmD, BCPS said the residency program looked different this time for everyone involved.

“Not many people can say they did their residency during a pandemic,” she said.

Safety protocols meant less face-to-face rounding, virtual presentations instead of in-person meetings and far less social interaction. But the residents were also among the first people to start vaccinating the community.

This year’s residents, Alex Free and Deidre Ledbetter, got a first-hand look at what it’s like to fight a pandemic.

Ledbetter, a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, said her first week on the pharmacy’s management rotation was the same week as the COVID-19 vaccines arrived.

“It was wild,” she said. “I was there for all the stress of coordinating everything, even the delivery times. You have no idea what goes on behind the scenes until you’re in it.”

But the stress of logistics was outweighed by the hope vaccines brought.

“Being in the vaccine clinic and seeing the rush of people that wanted to come to get it was amazing,” she said.

“They were excited and we were hopeful for the future. It was like nothing else.”

Free, a graduate of the University of Kentucky College

of Pharmacy, worked with the department to prepare vaccines before daily clinics and then document how many were administered at the end of each day. He also staffed the Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and Healthpark vaccine clinics and worked with a team to vaccinate the residents of the Roosevelt House assisted living facility in Owensboro. The experience was a rewarding one, he said.

“You’d have elderly couples coming in and both be in tears over getting the vaccine,” he said. “They were so gracious and so grateful.”

The residents said the variety of experiences they’ve

had this year has been the highlight of the program.

“We have a long list of very experienced pharmacists that have unique skill sets, so getting to learn from some of the best has been great,” Ledbetter said. “That is what will make me a well-rounded pharmacist. I hope I carry that with me through my whole career.”

Free said he was able to work in several different areas

to get a feel for the various types of pharmacy practice.

“Owensboro Health has a great staff that’s evolving and learning through all the challenges that the pandemic brought to us. We were able to learn each and every day from them and I think that’s the main thing that sets this pharmacy department apart from others.”

To learn more about the Pharmacy Residency Program, visit OwensboroHealth.org/Pharmacy-Residency.

S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 Owensboro Health

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Twin Lakes Celebrates

70 Years of Service Twin Lakes circa 1980.

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Twin Lakes leaders past and present celebrated the hospital’s 70th anniversary. Pictured (left to right): Senator Stephen Meredith, Mark Marsh, Ashley Herrington, Wayne Meriwether.

Pictured are Twin Lakes long-time employees, each with a career spanning more than 40 years: Rose Mary Goins, RN; Patty Bratcher; Debbie Dennison; Remona Minton, RN; Bridget Jackson, RN; Bonnie Embrey, RN and Robert McClure, MD.

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edicated in 1951, the 40-bed Grayson County War Memorial Hospital was located in downtown Leitchfield. This was a big first step in the growth of healthcare for generations of people living in the Twin Lakes area.

By 1976, Grayson County War Memorial Hospital was outgrowing its facility. The community responded to the need and in 1979 the hospital relocated to its presentday location on Wallace Avenue. The twostory, 75-bed facility was renamed Grayson County Hospital.

By the early 1990s, the hospital’s medical staff had more than doubled and its primary service area had grown beyond the borders of Grayson County. It was no longer just a “county” hospital, so the board of directors, looking toward the future, renamed the facility Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center to represent its growth and status.

In October 2009, ground was broken for a major expansion of the hospital and the renovations were completed in 2011.

Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center joined the Owensboro Health system in January 2021, becoming Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center.

Since 1951, the heart of Twin Lakes has been the team members and their dedication to serving the area. We thank them for 70 years of commitment to building a healthy community.

Grayson County War Memorial Hospital, 1951.

A 1970s operating room.

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Race Events For The Whole Family

®

1201 Pleasant Valley Road Owensboro, KY 42303 ®

Get ready to stretch your legs in the upcoming 5K and

fun run races at the Healthpark!

The morning of September 25 is all about family

fun and promoting wellness as the Run For Your Life 5K road race, presented by the Owensboro Health Healthpark and the Junior League of Owensboro, and Kids’ Fun Run, sponsored by Owensboro Health Foundation, take over the area around the Healthpark.

The 5K race starts at 8 a.m. and s followed by the free

half-mile fun run for kids up to age 12 at 9 a.m. The Junior League makes the event a real party with plenty of fun kids’ activities, balloon twisters and more.

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE 5K

In the 5K, prizes will be awarded to the overall male

and female winner in each age division, but you don’t have to be in competition shape to participate. Owensboro Health Healthpark Health & Fitness Manager Jason Anderson said anyone is welcome in the race.

“You can walk it at your own pace if you want,” he said.

“If you’re thinking about doing it, just get moving. There are lots of great places around to run, bike or walk, so just start.”

There’s still time to work up to running the race if you’d

like to give it a try, and Jason suggests looking for a training program online to get you started. There are multiple apps created to train for a 5K. You can also reach out to Jason at the Healthpark at 270-688-5433 for advice.

Early registration is open now for $20 and will increase

to $25 on September 8. Be sure to register before September 8 to be guaranteed a shirt in the right size.

KIDS’ FUN RUN

Participants in Kids’ Fun Run receive a free t-shirt, a

finisher’s medal and will be placed in a drawing for a new bike and helmet. They’ll also be registered to win a $500 wellness grant for their school.

This year’s Kids’ Fun Run is FREE but limited to the

first 300 kids. Online registration is required to participate and must be completed by September 8.

For Jason, the kids’ run is the highlight of the day.

“Seeing those kids finish the fun run and get a medal is the best,” he said. “They’re just beaming.”

The whole event is a great opportunity for Owensboro

Health, Jason said. “We’re here to improve the health of our communities, so anything we can do to promote fitness and wellness is important. We want to encourage people to keep

Another chance to run: Owensboro Health is

going or to start moving.”

proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Wendell Foster Half

Marathon, coming in November. To learn more and register for

Regardless of your fitness level, you’re invited to

participate. Register today at OwensboroHealth.org/Race.

the race, visit WendellFoster.org/HalfMarathon.

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