LEWISTON — Healthy Androscoggin presented the 2013 Healthy Androscoggin Coalition Awards during the fall of 2013. The Coalition Awards are distributed to local and regional community partners on an annual basis and consist of the Community Leadership, Will Bartlett and the Partnership awards.

The 2013 Community Leadership Award was presented to Robert Rand, vice president, information technology security administrator for Androscoggin Bank and member of the Lewiston-Auburn Bicycle Pedestrian Committee. The Healthy Androscoggin Leadership Award recognizes an individual or organization that has exemplified superior leadership through their work in the community.

This award is granted for diligent and altruistic work that improves public health and promotes the ideals of Healthy Androscoggin. Rand is a local cycling extraordinaire and actively participates in many local cycling and pedestrian initiatives. He is a regular participant in the Dempsey Challenge, leading Androscoggin Bank’s team effort.

In many ways, Robert helps to support Healthy Androscoggin’s ideals as a passionate community leader in advocating for improved bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure. He is an “all-star” advocate for healthy community design, and also bike-commutes to work 365 days/year.

Healthy Androscoggin presented the 2013 Will Bartlett Award to Carol Brocker, school nurse and 5210 Let’s Go! champion for Oak Hill Middle School and Sabattus Primary School in the RSU4 school district. Will Bartlett, a long-term guidance counselor in the Lewiston School Department, was a strong believer in the mission and vision of Healthy Androscoggin. This award is given out to a member of the community for selfless dedication, leadership and compassion in promoting the ideals of Healthy Androscoggin and improving the lives of children in the community.

Brocker is a truly dedicated champion of 5210 Let’s Go!, a youth obesity prevention program in Maine. She helped encourage other nurses to join this initiative, making RSU4 the only school district in Androscoggin County to have all schools registered with the program. Brocker has worked with multiple Healthy Androscoggin staff members on nutrition education, physical activity, substance abuse and tobacco.

The 2013 Partnership Award was presented to Fergus Lea, former Planning Division director of Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments. The Healthy Androscoggin Partnership Award recognizes an individual or organization that has exemplified superior partnership with Healthy Androscoggin. This award is granted for diligent and altruistic work that helps further Healthy Androscoggin’s mission and vision in the community.

Lea and his staff at AVCOG have been instrumental partners with Healthy Androscoggin in planning and coordinating the twice-annual Medicine Take-Back programs in Lewiston and Auburn. Thanks to leadership contributed by Lea, the events have become increasingly popular and successful. At a take-back event held in April 2013, more than 1500 pounds of medicines were collected from more than 700 households in Lewiston and Auburn.

“What Robert, Carol and Fergus have done for our communities is immeasurable,” said Steven Johndro, Healthy Androscoggin’s executive director. “Each one of these awardees has and continues to significantly contribute to the ideals of Healthy Androscoggin and have been wonderful partners to work with.”

The vision of Healthy Androscoggin is that the communities in Androscoggin are the healthiest in Maine. The mission is to empower people to live healthy lifestyles and to improve the public health of the communities served through ongoing planning, community action, education and advocacy. Healthy Androscoggin seeks a community environment supportive of healthy lifestyles by promoting five main goals: Supporting tobacco free lifestyles, encouraging physical activity, promoting healthy eating, preventing childhood lead poisoning and preventing youth substance abuse.