BELHAVEN — A grant from Vidant Pungo Hospital will have some people feeling the burn this week.
The hospital’s Community Benefit Grants program awarded the Belhaven Senior Center a $10,000 grant that will fund two exercise classes and programs about managing chronic diseases.
Marty Dail, director of the center, said the grant would fund a health and wellness coordinator position in charge of twice-monthly classes on health and nutrition. After having a summer hiatus, the center will restart its exercise classes Tuesday.
“We also have a Tai chi class Wednesday mornings year round at the fellowship hall of St. James Episcopal Church,” Dail said. “They very much support us in any way they can.”
Vidant Pungo offers the grant each year.
“The Community Benefit Grants program demonstrates the commitment of Vidant Pungo Hospital to improve the health of the community beyond the walls of the hospital,” said president Harvey Case. “And it gives us the opportunity to fund programs that are consistent with our mission of enhancing the quality of life for the people in our community that we touch, serve and support.”
Jenny Brown, director of Human Resources at Vidant Pungo, said the center’s grant request was a perfect fit for the program’s mission.
“The main priority for the community benefit grants program is to improve the health care in our community,” she said. “Our focus areas for funding are chronic disease prevention and management, access to care and nutrition and physical activity.”
The Belhaven Senior Center is located at 274 East Main Street. For more information about today’s seminar, call 943-2992.