Memorial employees hold Hospital Hustle race

Starting the race

Submitted by Bill Kerans.

LUDINGTON — Memorial Medical Center employees held their first annual “Hospital Hustle” run/walk on Saturday. Nearly 200 staff and family members took part in the fitness event by running or walking a one-mile or 5K circuit around the hospital campus and neighborhood.

Helen Johnson, VP of nursing, organized the Hospital Hustle to kick off the annual Nurses’ Week observance, and to communicate a deeper message.

“We wanted a visible symbol to show the community we’re serious about helping to improve the overall heath of our area,” said Johnson. “We talk about ‘making lives better,’ and if we’re going to encourage others to adopt a healthy lifestyle, we have to set an example in our own lives.

“So we’re taking it to the streets with this event for our employees and their families. We had a beautiful spring day and an awesome turnout for the first year of the event, with nearly 200 people, including about 70 kids. We had everyone from grandparents to kids in strollers, and even some family pets jogging the course.”

“We hope to do this annually,” Johnson added, “and if there’s interest, we’d like to open it up to the community sometime in the future.”

The route started in the southwest corner of the hospital parking lot, followed Diana St. to Staffon to Lawndale, and back through the hospital campus to the start/finish, a measured distance of a mile. Both one mile and 5K participants were invited to continue going around the route, if they wished, and many did.