Ongoing data collection from 10 mountain towns will help steer Wellness District funds
EBS STAFF
Across the mountain West, 10 resort communities from Aspen, Colorado, to Sun Valley, Idaho, and Big Sky, are participating in a wellness survey to better understand mental, behavioral and overall community wellness. The survey is paired with a layer of friendly competition as local organizers, including Yellowstone Club Community Foundation and the Big Sky Health and Wellness Coalition, urge those who work and live in Big Sky to participate against other communities.
So far, Big Sky is in third at 194 participants, behind Steamboat, Colorado at 429 participants, and Summit County, Colorado, at 268 participants. Sarah Gaither of the Big Sky Community Food Bank told EBS in an email she hopes Big Sky can reach 1,000 participants by February. The survey closes Feb. 6.
“We’re holding strong at third place, which is great because this is Big Sky’s first year doing the project when most other communities have been involved for several years,” Bivins said.
The regional wellness survey is led by the Katz Amsterdam Foundation and while the competition is friendly, local leaders said the data ensures the community’s needs are accurately represented alongside other resort towns. Its true purpose is to support and uplift each other, and Big Sky is “grateful to be part of the KAF community,” emphasized Kiernan Volden, director of programs at Wellness In Action.
Participation is open to Big Sky residents and commuters who work in Big Sky, and the survey is available in both English and Spanish. Responses are anonymous, with an optional entry at the end to win a $500 Conoco gift card.
Founded by former and current Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz and his late wife Elana Amsterdam, KAF works to improve mental and behavioral health in mountain West resort communities. Once complete, survey data will be uploaded to KAF’s dashboard, allowing Big Sky to compare results with similar mountain communities.
Locally, the data collected will play a critical role as Big Sky explores the formation of a Big Sky Wellness District, a potential initiative that could generate approximately $20 million in funding over the next eight years to support health and wellness programs.
“Big Sky is in a critical time for investing in health and wellness resources, and your input matters,” said Volden. “Completing this survey is your chance to share what’s important to you and will help shape future services.”
