Fairfield leaders hoping to earn Blue Zones designation

Gov. Terry Branstad?s initiative to improve Iowa?s health kicked off today with the Start Somewhere Walk, but Fairfield leaders met Thursday to begin work on the next program Branstad?s rolling out.

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield has financially committed to transforming 10 Iowa communities into Blue Zones communities during the next five years.

?Blue Zones are designed as places where there is extraordinary longevity, and people live happy, healthy and long lives,? said Fairfield Mayor Ed Malloy. Fairfield leaders hope to expand on the plan laid out by the Let?s Go JeffCo wellness coalition by becoming a blue zone and receiving outside expertise.

?We feel that Fairfield has a lot in place at this time to be considered,? Malloy said, touching on the city?s parks, pools, trails and recreational facilities.

Fairfield must submit a pre-application and demonstrate community support by Oct. 28.

The first step is registering Fairfield at www.bluezonesproject.com and encouraging citizens to register on Fairfield?s behalf.

?They want to work with a community that shows a strong passion for health and wellness,? Malloy said.

The more registered residents from a city, the more favorably that city?s application will be viewed ? the number of registrants also is judged in relation to population.

Right now, Keosauqua is in the top five, Malloy said.

?We expect after a week of strong initiative, we?ll push up there as well,? he said.

Malloy is especially optimistic about the benefits Blue Zones designation could have for everyone in the community ? while being easy and fun.

In Albert Lea, Minn., the Blue Zones Project, in effect since 2009, has lowered insurance costs 49 percent for city employees, decreased the number of sick days employees take by 21 percent and increased life expectancy 3.2 years.

?They serve as a great model for cities throughout Iowa,? Malloy said. Albert Lea?s success is proof of the value of community activism in the direction of health and wellness, he said.

A representative group from Fairfield will attend an informational meeting about Blue Zones Wednesday in Cedar Rapids.

Fairfield will learn in November if its pre-application has been viewed favorably with an invitation to submit a full application early next year.