Blue Zones program ends formal project in Mason County; presenter says Mason Matters will continue work

Mason County commissioners on May 5 received the final report for Blue Zones Activate Mason County, a two-year community health initiative focused on food systems and the built environment. Julie, the project presenter, told the commissioners the project’s formal period ended yesterday and said she has accepted a position with Mason Matters to help continue the effort.

The Blue Zones lookbook, Julie said, documents the program’s community process and lists “every single person we talked to” when choosing projects. She described three major efforts the group supported: master planning and food production at the Salmon Center, food-system connections and delivery support tied to Mason Health, and development of a 12,000-square-foot Catalyst Garden atop the hill in Shelton that supplies local food banks and community distribution.

"We focused on food and the built environment, and that was because it's the longest policies that you can enact that'll last the longest," Julie said, summarizing why the group prioritized those topics. She also noted work with local partners, including Mason Health and Choice Regional Health Network, and with master gardeners on the Catalyst Garden.

Commissioners and other participants praised the community engagement documented in the report and suggested the materials could inform future county planning. One commissioner suggested referencing the Blue Zones material in updates to the county comprehensive plan.

Julie told the board that Mason Matters has agreed to continue supporting Blue Zones work going forward and that she will be based in the county EDC building. No formal county action was taken or required at the meeting on the report itself; commissioners heard the final findings and discussed possible uses of the materials in future county planning.