RUMFORD — The Oxford County Wellness Collaborative will host a semi-annual gathering from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, at 49 Franklin Reception Hall. The event will bring together partners of the collaborative for updates, networking, and community building.

The event is free and open to the public, but attendees are asked to register by calling 739-6222 and asking for Brendan.

The OCWC came into being in 2011 in response to publication of the 2010 County Health Rankings, which showed Oxford County as 16th out of 16 counties in Maine in overall health.

The statistic spurred partners from across the county, and from many different backgrounds, to unite toward a common vision: “Oxford County is the healthiest county in Maine and one of the most desirable in which to live, work and raise children.”

The OCWC meets regularly, and welcomes input as well as new partners as it works to become the central hub of activity that supports the transformation of health and wellness in Oxford County.

There are currently five subgroups in the collaborative and people are welcome to join one or more of interest: Healthy Eating, Active Living, Community Safety, Behavioral Health (which includes substance abuse and mental health care and concerns) and Community Engagement.

The Jan. 15 gathering is an opportunity for interested people to learn more about the collaborative and what its work groups have been involved with lately, including a county-wide community engagement effort aimed at making transformative change around a key issue bearing on health.

County residents are being brought together in a process called “Healthy Community Gatherings” that aims to not only choose the issue that is focused upon, but also in crafting a plan to make change on that issue and helping to carry out the plan.

The collaborative is leading the Healthy Community Gatherings effort. On Jan. 15, updates on that effort, and on the important concerns that have been named by participants so far, will be shared. The evening meeting will also feature a free meal, networking time and updates from the collaborative’s work groups.

For more information about the collaborative, or to hear more about the Jan. 15 event and register for it, call Brendan Schauffler at 739-6222. Interested persons can also visit the Oxford County Wellness Collaborative’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/oxfordcwc.