Eight organizations serving Tyrrell County residents were awarded cash grants by the Chowan Hospital Foundation on Aug. 9 in a ceremony in the Edenton hospital.

They were among 29 organizations recognized for their health-related efforts in the hospital’s four-county service area of Chowan, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties. This year’s grants totaled $100,000.

Columbia Medical Center received funds to provide glucose monitors and testing strips to test  qualifying patients at least once daily for 12 months.

Hyde County Transportation Corp. (Gator Line) grant award will be used to provide consistently scheduled medical access for all Tyrrell County residents to Edenton 2-3 days a week throughout the year in a wheelchair-accessible van.

Inner Banks Hotline received funding to implement Teen Pressure, a middle and high school level program that focuses on bullying and how it affects mental health.

Funding to Martin-Tyrrell-Washington Health Department will be used to assist financially needy residents in Tyrrell and Washington counties to increase the utilization of primary and mental health care at MTW’s Columbia and Plymouth locations by applying funds to the accounts of patients who are uninsured, underinsured or unable to pay copay for their new adult health/primary care visit and lab work.

Tyrrell County 4-H Extension Office will use its grant to teach (in English and Spanish) various home food preservation techniques so that locally grown foods can be enjoyed year round. Extension will also conduct (also bilingually) a 12-hour cooking course for older teens and adults who want to learn to cook simple nutritious meals. Course will emphasize correct portion sizes, ways to consume less fat and include more fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, whole grains and fiber in the daily diet.

Tyrrell County was awarded funds to offer senior adult fitness classes (low-impact exercise and strength training), led by a certified exercise instructor.

The Tyrrell County school board will continue Kinder Swim, swimming and water safety classes for all kindergarten students in the county during the first two weeks of June.

Tyrrell-Washington Partnership for Children will purchase a spot vision screener with its grant, to quickly and easily detect vision issues in children in day care facilities and in Pre-K through fifth grade in the two counties.

Representing Tyrrell County on the Chowan Hospital Foundation’s board of directors are Kirstin Bradley of Columbia Pharmacy, and Leroy Spivey, former chairman of the Tyrrell County Board of Commissioners.

The mission of the Community Benefit Grants Program is to enhance the health status of and encourage proactive individual healthcare by the residents of northeastern North Carolina.