(ABC 6 News) – The Med City mayor is closing out her final term with a wellness campaign aimed at helping residents build healthier habits.
The Med City is growing quickly, and Mayor Kim Norton said that growth is bringing challenges. She held the second of three community walks on Oct. 24 as part of a three-month wellness campaign focused on fitness and connection.
“What we’re going through now is a substantial growth, and that has its pain points,” said Kim Norton.
“They care about each other. And so hopefully we’ll support each other through this tough time and be better for it.”
The walks are meant to get people moving and give neighbors a chance to connect while staying fit. Norton said the effort is also meant to leave something lasting as her time in office comes to an end.
“…one last effort to close out my term in office,” said Norton.
Norton is partnering with HealMint as part of the initiative. The company was founded by Mengfan Zhang, who is launching the HealRing with help from the Mayo accelerator program for healthcare startups.
“I’m very inspired and touched by Mayor Norton’s initiative. This is also aligned with our mission and innovation as well,” said Mengfan Zhang.
The ring tracks heart rate, sleep activity and oxygen levels. The goal is to help people get health data, understand what it means and use it to support healthier choices.
“Our goal is to help everyone achieve preventive care,” explained Zhang.
Norton said she believes she has helped make the Med City healthier and encouraged the next mayor to listen to residents and lead with purpose.
“Talk to people. Know what people care about so you can best represent them, and then also find something you’re passionate about and work on that during your time,” said Norton.
After 8 years in office, Norton said she plans to take it easy for a bit. She is also hosting another community walk on Saturday, Oct. 24, where people can get a HealRing.
