(Chelsea Update would like to thank Matt Pegouskie for the information in this story.)
The 5 Healthy Towns Foundation (5HF) announced on March 22 that its first Chief Executive Officer, Amy Heydlauff, will retire in July 2021.
5HF is a community-wellness foundation that serves the Michigan school districts of Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester, and Stockbridge with a mission to cultivate personal and community wellness. They currently oversee three wellness centers, support five wellness coalitions with 90+ members, and collaborate closely with One Big Thing partners to strengthen connection, engagement, optimism, and resilience in the region.
Hedlauff has served as 5HF’s CEO since its founding in 2009, and her retirement will bring to a close a remarkable clinical and administrative nursing career.
“Serving the five healthy towns has been my dream job — I can’t even call it a job. My time in these communities stands out as my most satisfying work over decades of satisfying work. So many of you have been part of our accomplishments. I will leave as I came in — overwhelmed by the goodness of the people engaged with 5HF,” she said in a press release.
She will stay plenty busy, even in retirement. She has long-standing connections in the healthcare and non-profit industries and hopes to continue to be an asset in those sectors. She’s especially looking forward to opportunities with more limited scope and carving out time to attend to her languishing hobbies (hiking, water sports, gardening, writing, and connecting with the important people in her life).
“Amy has had a significant impact on health and wellness in our five local communities. She created a culture focusing on wellness, community building, and prevention. The quality of life in our five towns has and will continue to be positively impacted by Amy’s commitment to our communities’ well-being. We are so grateful for her leadership and dedication,” said Sally DeVol, 5HF board chair.
As CEO, Heydlauff ensured that the foundation prioritized engaging the region’s people in the foundation’s work and increasing recognition that the foundation’s available funds and other assets are a community resource.
During her tenure, 5HF expanded their wellness center footprint and their annual wellness center scholarship giving to $50,000. It invested approximately $800,000 in each of the five communities, including infrastructure projects like trails, sports fields, greenhouses, and playgrounds, and programs like cooking classes, pre-school education and SRSLY support. In all, they’ve funded approximately 190 projects and programs through the wellness coalitions.
Under her leadership, the foundation also started Connected, the twice-yearly magazine delivered directly to every service area mailbox. The magazine focuses on the wellness work being done in the five towns and features many of the people contributing to wellness efforts.
Recently, 5FH initiated One Big Thing, a major, mental health collaboration with Michigan Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine, St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, Washtenaw County Community Mental Health, and local coalition members.
“I’ve benefited from enthusiastic support of our mission by successive Boards of Directors and our small but extremely hard-working staff. Our community members and organizational partners also brought significant value to our work. I can’t wait to see what comes of the transition and resulting organizational evolution,” she said.
The Board of Directors will oversee the process of choosing her successor and has partnered with Michigan-based firm, HR Collaborative, to conduct a national search for its next chief executive.
To learn more about 5HF’s work, programs, and initiatives, visit here.
