SHIP stories
Across Minnesota, communities are working to
make it easier for people to get the physical
activity they need.

In the first three years SHIP, 293 cities worked
to increase biking and walking.
Mission Complete!
Committed cities for more walkable and bicyclefriendly street project: that is what the cities of Fergus
Falls and Frazee wanted to be when they adopted
their “Complete Streets” policies. Complete Streets
makes it easier for residents to get physical activity in
additional support and resources to promote active
their daily routines by promoting non-motorized
transportation through safer and accessible biking and living opportunities in Frazee.
walking paths.
Joining in on making biking and walking more
accessible was Battle Lake City who incorporated the
Teaming with Fergus Falls was the PartnerSHIP 4
Complete Streets language into their comprehensive
Health (PS4H) Active Living Planner, which served on
Fergus Falls’ Safe Routes to School Task Force. PS4H is clan and capital improvement plan. Now Battle Lake
City has a safe path that can take residents and
a regional initiative that works to improve the health
visitors from Highway 78 to downtown.
through supporting sustainable changes in schools,
communities, workplaces and health care settings.
Hank Ludtke, Mayor of Frazee, has a passion for
physical activity and its benefits. He states, “I rode
bike 10 miles a day back and forth to the University
while in college. I rode bikes all year round.” Now
disabled, he continues to be physically active and in
2012, PS4H partnered with Ludtke in order to provide
The Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) works to
improve health through better nutrition, increased physical
activity and decreased commercial tobacco use and exposure.
Find out more at www.health.state.mn.us/ship
“We are all working together to connect the
neighborhoods, parks and school. We hope to keep
our communities active and promote healthy living,”
says Ludtke.
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7/2013