Excellus BlueCross BlueShield announced the winners of their Fall 2017 Community Health Awards.

Each recipient will receive up to $4,000 to help fund health and wellness programs.

The Utica Zoo was among the 12 organizations to win funding. The money is going toward the Snowshoe Program. It gives people a chance to be active and experience the zoo in a new way.

"Usually you're used to seeing animals during the summer, but some of our animals grow very big fur coats, big feathers during the winter. Some of them are very interesting to see," said Utica Zoo Communications Director Mike Beck.

The money will be used to buy new snowshoes for this year's program which a date has yet to be set for.

Below is a complete list of the winners:

· Clinton County Health Department (Plattsburgh) Clinton County Sun Safety Initiative – For the purchase of sunscreen dispensers to be placed at 10 locations throughout Clinton County.

· The Kelberman Center (Utica) Off the Couch & Outside the Box Wellness Series, designed to get kids and young adults with autism “off the couch” and thinking “outside the box” about physical activity and nutrition. The year-long series will include four physical and social activities, one healthy cooking class, and one wellness class, all moderated by Kelberman Center staff experienced in supporting social skills development.

· Utica Zoological Society (Utica) Utica Zoo Snowshoe Program - Snowshoe replacement and repair for the Utica Zoo snowshoe program.

· St. Lawrence County Health Initiative, Inc. (Potsdam) Bridge to Wellness Medication Disposal Program - Installation of two additional prescription medication dropboxes in St. Lawrence County pharmacies or hospitals, plus community education on their use.

· Central Association for the Blind, Inc. (Utica) Camp Abilities in Motion works individually with children who experience vision loss, 10 years of age and under, to help them understand proper body mechanics and to reinforce physical skills. In order to provide opportunities for repetition, newly acquired movements will be incorporated into fun games and activities. Educational sessions will incorporate the use of family fitness kits (that they can keep) containing a variety of sports equipment and instructional materials to continue motor development beyond the sessions.

· Rescue Mission of Utica, Inc. (Utica) Addictions Stabilization Center program - Support for the Center’s program with the purchase of a CARESCAPE V100-4 Patient Monitor – BP Temp & Pulse OX; CARESCAPE Rolling Stand and Ivac/Alaris Oral Probe Covers for CARESCAPE Monitors will be used by every resident in the ASC Program.

· Disabled Persons Action Organization (Watertown) Handi-Capable Wellness Program - This program targets disabled individuals that, because of lack of physical activity, are at risk of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, fatigue, and depression. The program will focus on organized activities that will utilize the local YMCA and the local areas fitness professionals within the community.

· Pathfinder Village Foundation (Edmeston) - The award will be used to help fund annual memberships at the Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown; these memberships allow Village residents and students with developmental disabilities to use the Sports Center’s extensive facilities on a regular basis.

· Hospice Foundation of Jefferson County (Watertown) Five Wishes Initiative - Hospice of Jefferson County will use the Five Wishes in community education and outreach efforts and increase the number of people in Jefferson County that have an Advance Directive. Hospice will educate physicians on how to use the Five Wishes in their practice to help talk to their patients about Advance Care Planning.

· Humane Society of Rome, Inc. (Rome) Pet Therapy - Providing pet therapy for the community and local nursing homes on a monthly basis. Pet therapy is a guided interaction between a person and a shelter animal with the goal of improving a resident’s social, emotional and cognitive functioning. Interacting with a pet can help many physical and mental issues. It can help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. It can also release endorphins that produce a calming effect. This can help alleviate pain, reduce stress, and improve one’s overall psychological state.

· The House of the Good Shepherd (Utica) Yoga and Exercise Classes for Children - Providing yoga and meditation classes, and Zumba and Pound aerobic classes to the children at The House of the Good Shepherd. Licensed instructors will work in conjunction with the nursing and recreation staff to coordinate and begin classes in January of 2018.

· Family Counseling Service of Northern New York, Inc. (Watertown) Integration Between Primary Care and Behavioral Health using a Strength-Based Approach - Implementing an evidence-based behavioral health program for children, with a strong focus on communication between the behavioral health provider and the primary care provider.