(BRIDGEWATER, MASSACHUSETTS –September 15, 2023) — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (Blue Cross), Bridgewater State University (BSU), and National Fitness Campaign (NFC) today announced a partnership to bring an outdoor Fitness Court®® to BSU. The Fitness Court, located in University Park on the BSU campus, will officially open on September 21 at 10:30 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
This Fitness Court was developed by Blue Cross, BSU and NFC to expand free access to high quality workouts and create equitable access to exercise for communities around the state. The Fitness Court is the world’s best outdoor gym that lets people use their own body weight to get a complete workout using seven exercise stations.
Created with people aged 14 and over and with all abilities in mind, the workouts are adaptable for all fitness levels, allowing participants to move at their own pace. Users also may download the free Fitness Court App which acts as a coach-in-your-pocket and enhances the outdoor gym into a digitally supported wellness experience.
“Blue Cross is committed to helping people live healthy lives and eliminating the physical and social barriers that lead to health disparities,” said Jeff Bellows, vice president of corporate citizenship and public affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. “We’re proud to partner with NFC and BSU to launch a Fitness Court that will provide both the university community and Town of Bridgewater residents with a communal gathering space and access to premiere free outdoor fitness opportunities.”
Bridgewater State University is one of 15 outdoor Fitness Courts in a series of Blue Cross Fitness Courts that are currently open or will be constructed in easily accessible public spaces this year. Blue Cross' sponsorship of NFC is part of the company's strengthened corporate citizenship commitment to promote health justice in communities across the Commonwealth. Over the next five years, Blue Cross will provide $16 million in grants and volunteer support to not-for-profits working to address food, environmental and racial justice in Massachusetts communities. This work supports the company's overall pledge to be a leader in addressing health inequities across the Commonwealth.
“The Fitness Court presents another great opportunity for members of the BSU community and our neighbors to get outdoors to exercise, thereby relieving stress in our post-pandemic world,” said BSU President Frederick W. Clark Jr., Esq. “We all know that exercise mitigates stress and can be a powerful, natural, medicine for the body and this facility, made possible by our partnership with the National Fitness Campaign and the generosity of Blue Cross, certainly addresses this important issue of our time.”
“National Fitness Campaign is proud to welcome Bridgewater State University to the campaign as the first higher education partner in Massachusetts, championing health and wellness for their residents” said Mitch Menaged, founder of NFC. “We are proud to continue our mission of getting people moving outdoors and helping communities combat the fiscal and humanitarian costs of inactivity.”
Residents are invited to attend the Launch Event on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 10:30 a.m. to try the Fitness Court. For more information, visit https://www.bridgew.edu/about-us/news-events. For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ support of NFC, please visit https://nationalfitnesscampaign.com/massachusetts.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.org) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable and equitable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
About BSU
Bridgewater State University, founded by Horace Mann in 1840, is the 10th largest four-year college or university in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts serving approximately 10,000 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing studies students. As a student-centered university dedicated to student success, BSU offers 3,000 courses in more than 100 areas of study on its nationally recognized 278-acre campus and online. BSU has more than 75,000 alumni in all 50 states.
About National Fitness Campaign
Founded in San Francisco in 1979, National Fitness Campaign is a wellness consulting firm that provides programs and services to cities, schools and sponsors with the mission to build healthy communities nationwide. The campaign delivers an integrated wellness initiative, centered around the Fitness Court®–the world's best outdoor gym. National Fitness Campaign is planning its 500th healthy community, uniting the country’s largest public-private partnership in support of wellness with the goal of building a Fitness Court® within a 10-minute bike ride of every American. Follow along with National Fitness Campaign at www.nationalfitnesscampaign.com or on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
BSU MEDIA CONTACT: NFC MEDIA CONTACT: BLUE CROSS MEDIA CONTACT
Eva Gaffney Lindsay Valenti Kelsey Pearse
egaffney@bridgew.edu lindsay@nfchq.com kelsey.pearse@bcbsma.com
508-531-1337 518-596-3944 860-581-3074