David Weed and Wendy Garf-Lipp represented Partners for a Healthier Community in celebrating the award of six new communities for the annual Culture of Health Prize award at the headquarters of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in Princeton, New Jersey on July 17, 2014. The new winning communities included Brownsville, TX, Buncombe County, NC, Durham County, NC, Spokane County, WA, Taos Pueblo, NM, and Williamson, WVA. Invited guests from national organizations included the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, the American Public Health Association, United Way Worldwide, the National Association of Counties, and the YMCA of the USA. In addition to the prize award ceremony, participants engaged in eight conversations led by winning communities. Dr. Weed and Ms. Garf-Lipp led a session on "Giving Kids a Strong, Healthy Start to Build a Culture of Health" with representatives of Spokane County and Taos Pueblo. The next morning included opportunities for the twelve winning communities to share ideas on building a culture of health and to discuss the development of a Culture of Health Network. Click here for a 15-minute video of portions of the event. Click here for photos and video of last year's event. For more information, contact Healthy City Fall River coordinator David Weed at 508-324-2411.

(Top row, left) Julie Willems Van Dijk, Co-Director of the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Program, meets with representatives of the 2013 winners, including New Orleans, Cambridge, Santa Cruz, Fall River and Manistique, MI. (Top row, center) Julie and Wendy Garf-Lipp of Fall River share a laugh after the meeting. (Top row, right) Partners Executive Director David Weed is greeted by Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson just before the prize award ceremony. (Row two) Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey welcomes the prize winners before presenting the prizes to this year's six communities including the Taos Pueblo. (Row three, left and center) Representatives of last year's prize winners gather for a group photo before the entire group breaks into four small group discussion groups. (Row three, right) Wendy talks with Carrie Carroll of the Population Health Institute. (Bottom row) Prize winners share ideas in two of six World Cafe-style discussion groups and then give input on the formation of a Prize Alumni group formation.