Lahey Health Enhances Wellness of Residents in Lowell by Funding Tree Planting

October 27, 2014 /3BL Media/ - Lahey Health has partnered with CBS EcoMedia through its EcoAd program to support the planting of 15 large trees at the intersection of Pawtucket Street and Father Morissette Boulevard in downtown Lowell. The tree planting was coordinated by Alliance for Community Trees and the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust. Funding will support ongoing maintenance and pruning of the trees.

Lahey Health’s funding will increase downtown Lowell’s urban forest while achieving the many quality-of-life benefits that come with planting trees.

“ACTrees is excited to partner with CBS EcoMedia, Lahey Health, and our member the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust for this planting,” said Carrie Gallagher, executive director, Alliance for Community Trees. “Trees are essential for our well-being because they lower stress, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, and support heart health. These 15 trees planted by Lahey Health employees will make an immediate impact and make Lowell greener and healthier.”

Lahey Health employees took part in a special volunteer tree planting event where the 15 trees were planted at the Lowell site. Hosts included Gerald MacKillop, director of community relations, Lahey Health; Jane Calvin, executive director, Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust; Theresa Schieber, SVP, operations and strategic partnership development, CBS EcoMedia; Sarah Anderson, manager of member and partner services, Alliance for Community Trees.  

The tree planting event is a part of National NeighborWoods® Month, a month-long celebration of trees during October that is organized by Alliance for Community Trees. Each year, tens of thousands of volunteers take action to make their communities greener and healthier by planting and caring for trees—turning their neighborhoods into vibrant, livable communities.

“Lahey Health has made a commitment to addressing the demonstrated health and wellness needs of this community,” said MacKillop.  “Through this unique collaboration with CBS EcoMedia, the Alliance for Community Trees, and Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust, and with these newly planted trees we’re helping to build the community in a way that will show a positive impact on the city of Lowell and all its residents for years to come.”

“We’re grateful to Lahey Health for providing the intrinsic economic, environmental and health benefits of trees to this community,” said Paul Polizzotto, president and founder, CBS EcoMedia. “With Lahey Health’s financial support through EcoMedia’s EcoAd program, and the dedication of its employee volunteers, we are enhancing the health and wellness of members of this community.”

For more information about Lahey Health, including lists of services and physicians as well as what separates it from other healthcare systems, visit www.laheyhealth.org, follow the Lahey Health Twitter feed, or become a fan on Facebook.

About Lahey Health
Lahey Health is what's next in healthcare, providing a full continuum of integrated health services close to where you live or work. It is comprised of nationally recognized, award-winning hospitals—including an academic hospital and medical center, and community hospitals—primary care providers, specialist physicians, behavioral health services, post-acute programs such as home health services, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and senior care resources located throughout northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

Lahey Health offers nearly 1,000 locally based physicians providing clinical excellence and an exceptional patient experience in adult and pediatric primary care and every medical specialty, including kidney and liver transplantation; neurosurgery, cancer, cardiovascular and orthopedic medical and surgical care; local emergency and trauma care; urological surgery; chronic disease prevention and health management; and pediatric emergency, newborn and inpatient care provided in collaboration with Boston Children's Hospital physicians.

Lahey Health includes Lahey Hospital & Medical Center—a teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine—and Lahey Clinic physician group with practices in Burlington, Peabody and other locations throughout northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire; Beverly Hospital; Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester, Mass.; Winchester Hospital; Lahey Health Senior Care and Lahey Health Behavioral Services as well as more than 30 primary care physician practices and multiple outpatient and satellite specialty care facilities.

Together, we are making innovative, integrated healthcare more personal and more accessible. For more information, visit LaheyHealth.org  and its member websites Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Beverly Hospital, and Lahey Health Behavioral Services.

About Alliance for Community Trees
Alliance for Community Trees (ACTrees) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and livability of cities by planting and caring for trees. Together, ACTrees membership have planted and cared for more than over 15 million trees with help from over 5 million volunteers. ACTrees also leads National NeighborWoods® Month – an annual campaign to plant and care for trees during the month of October. Learn more about ACTrees, its membership, and programs at www.ACTrees.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter @alliance4trees.

About CBS EcoMedia Inc.
At EcoMedia, we’re propelled by the desire to create positive social change; that’s been our mission since we founded the company in 2002.  In 2010, after successfully partnering with CBS on a wide range of environmental projects, EcoMedia became the newest addition to the CBS Corporation portfolio, exponentially scaling our reach across television, radio, interactive, publishing and outdoor media. 

Through our patent-pending EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd programs, an innovative twist on traditional advertising, advertisers are able to support much-needed local projects which in turn creates jobs, saves taxpayer money and improves the quality of life in communities nationwide.  In the process, we’re fundamentally altering the advertising landscape, elevating the ordinary, traditional commercial – and media, in general – into a catalyst for tangible, quantifiable social change.  Please visit ecomediacbs.com, like us at facebook.com/EcoMediaCBS or follow us at Twitter.com/EcoMediaCBS.

By participating in EcoMedia’s EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd advertising programs, EcoMedia’s advertisers agree to provide funding for projects we believe will have a beneficial effect upon the environment, health and/or education within local communities.  EcoMedia’s advertising programs are not certification programs nor are the EcoAd, WellnessAd or EducationAd logos seals of approval. EcoMedia does not in any way certify, endorse or make any representations about EcoMedia program advertisers, their products or services.