Pictured, from left, are Health First Kosciusko Advisory Committee Member Dave Wolkins and HFK Coordinator Liz McCullough. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Adkins.

By Liz Adkins
InkFreeNews

WARSAW – The Health First Kosciusko Advisory Committee approved four requests for funding 2026 health-related projects during a Wednesday, Oct. 22, meeting.

HFK Coordinator Liz McCullough presented the requests to the committee. Live Well Kosciusko made two separate requests, with one being $10,000 toward a mobile mammography program and another being for $95,000 in order for LWK to continue its partnership with HFK.

McCullough said for 2026, LWK will be “aiming to prevent and manage chronic diseases that significantly impact the health of Kosciusko County residents … diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart disease, and cancer are among the leading causes of death in the community.”

An $82,000 request for Warsaw Community Schools’ school health liaison program was also approved. McCullough said she spoke with most of the district’s nurses about Lauri Westerhof, the liaison, who received three letters of support for continuing in the position in 2026.

“(The nurses) all had wonderful things to say about her,” said McCullough. “They saw how passionate she is about what she’s doing for the schools and the community.”

McCullough told committee members Westerhof was able to get into Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation to speak with the superintendent and host an immunization clinic.

“I think this is a good program for the schools,” said Committee Member Sue Ann Mitchell. “It’s not just Warsaw Schools, it’s involving the whole county. So I think that’s really important.”

HFK’s advisory committee also approved a $60,596 request from the Northern Indiana Maternal and Child Health Network “to continue its progress with community outreach on sexually transmitted infections in Kosciusko County.” McCullough said NIMCHN will focus on expanding STI screening and treatment, education, and assisting and providing efforts to decrease the infant mortality rate. This will also include care packages for at-risk populations.

In other business, McCullough told the committee Magical Meadows’ previously approved request for an automated external defibrillator and Fellowship Missions’ request for a nurse practitioner will be presented at the next Board of Health meeting on Nov. 3.

The Kosciusko YMCA’s approval process for indoor fitness classes for active older adults is also complete. McCullough said classes will take place at the following three locations, all on Mondays and Wednesdays: Bell Memorial Public Library, Mentone, 1 p.m.; Pierceton Community Building, 10 a.m.; and Milford Community Building, 3:45 p.m. Anyone with questions can contact McCullough or Tracy Frick, director of healthy living at the Kosciusko YMCA, for more information.

The committee’s next meeting is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, in the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom.