The Colorado School of Public Health named the Poudre Valley Health System's (PVHS) Coalition for Activity and Nutrition to Defeat Obesity (CanDo) the recipient of the 2011 Excellence in Public Health Practice by an Organization award.

"PVHS has worked with the Colorado School of Public Health in a number of capacities," said award nominator Janna West Kowalski, staff at the school's Center for Public Health Practice. "Their programs range from individual education to community policy work addressing important issues such as obesity prevention, through CanDo."

The annual award is given to a public or private organization that significantly promotes and supports the efforts of the Colorado School of Public Health in meeting its mission, goals and objectives. Support may come through activities that promote public health or by supporting graduate student education through practicum learning opportunities.

CanDo was selected to receive the 2011 award due to its involvement in training master's of public health (MPH) students and for leading Northern Colorado communities in the reduction and prevention of obesity.

"The vision of CanDo is for Fort Collins and Loveland to become model 21st century healthy communities," said co-nominator Kendra Bigsby, MPH program coordinator at Colorado State University. "The program is a collaborative, grassroots, community task force that brings together public health professionals, community members, service providers to low-income populations, the local university and School of Public Health students."

CanDo is one of nine 2011 award recipients. Additional award recipients include Robert Wolfson, Ph.D., the 2011 Excellence in Clinical/Affiliated Faculty Teaching; Kari Phillipps, M.Ed., the 2011 Outstanding Contribution by a Staff Member; Lorin Scott-Okerblom, Liliana Tenney and Andrew Glendenning, the 2011 Outstanding Contributions by a Student; Lorann Stallones, Ph.D., the 2011 Excellence in Faculty Research; Tasha Fingerlin, Ph.D., the 2011 Excellence in Faculty Mentoring; and Lisa Miller, M.D., M.S.P.H., the 2011 Excellence in Public Health Practice by an Individual.

Award recipients are nominated by Colorado School of Public Health faculty, staff and students, and final selections are made by a school-wide committee. Awards are presented during the annual school convocation at the end of May. The 2011 Excellence in Public Health Practice by an Organization award was accepted on behalf of CanDo by the program's obesity prevention specialist Jessica Hinterberg and program assistant Aubrey Hoover.