LINCOLN COUNTY – The Lincoln County Health Department (LCHD) recently released the results of a county-wide campaign focused on social connection.
In May, in observance of Mental Health Month, LCHD teamed up with Aspirus Health and the Healthy Minds for Lincoln County Coalition to launch the second annual Social Connection Challenge.
LCHD said the goal of the campaign was to increase awareness about social connection and its positive impacts on mental health and well-being.
“It also encouraged community members to take action by participating in a local challenge and doing activities with others that foster social connection,” LCHD stated. “Activities focused on reaching out to friends, family and neighbors; limiting screening time; and finding ways to get involved in the community.”
LCHD sought to spread the word about the campaign in a variety of ways, including two billboards, three media interviews, four newspaper ads, two radio ads, one Facebook ad, eight Facebook posts, 50 mailings to worksites and 13 community displays.
Participants could pick up challenge forms at several locations throughout Lincoln County. After completing 15 challenge activities, participants could return the forms to LCHD, or complete an online form.
After the Friday, June 5 form submission deadline, 20 winners were selected to receive $50 Tomahawk or Merrill Chamber of Commerce gift certificates, which could be used at local businesses.
According to campaign results released by LCHD, 82 challenge forms from 173 total participants were returned. Half of the participants took part as families.
A total of 40 participants (49 percent) live or work in Merrill, while 32 (39 percent) reside in or are employed in Tomahawk. Small percentages of participants reported living or working in Irma, Gleason or other Lincoln County communities, results showed.
All participants reported that the challenge helped improve mental health and connections with others, while 99 percent said they will continue to prioritize social connection.
The top ten activities reported by participants were calling a friend or family member; meeting others for coffee, lunch or dinner; playing or doing an activity with a child; hosting a cookout or a family meal; getting ice cream at a favorite shop; spending time with a parent or grandparent; doing a random act of kindness; playing cards or a board game; going on a weekend road trip; and teaching a child something new.
New or favorite activities reported by respondents including going to local parks and picking up trash along the riverwalk; joining a run club; playing football with a grandchild; volunteering at Tomahawk Elementary School; going on a family bike ride to get ice cream; kayaking with their spouse; visiting with nursing home residents; doing an act of kindness for students; walking without a phone; engaging with neighbors; attending and enjoying a community event; and building a bug house with nieces and nephews.
To learn more about the Social Connection Challenge, visit www.tinyurl.com/5n6kmwv8.
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