By KHI News Service

TOPEKA — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and the Kansas Recreation and Park Association named Baldwin City, Eudora, Garden City, Manhattan, Ottawa and Thomas County their annual BlueCHIP award recipients.

BlueCHIP is a community health improvement program created to reward Kansas communities that encourage healthy lifestyles. The program, in its fourth year, awards $2,500 to recipient communities for assistance in continuing their efforts to improve the health of their communities.

“These six communities deserve to be recognized for the extensive effort each one is making to improve the health and quality of life of their respective residents,” Marlou Wegener, BCBSKS manager of community relations said in a prepared statement. “By working together, individual residents and organizations are implementing multifaceted plans to increase physical activity, improve nutritional offerings and promote clean air.”

The BlueCHIP selection committee includes representatives from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Healthy Schools, Kansas State Department of Education, KRPA and BCBSKS.