Hickory, NC – Frye Regional Medical Center recently donated 300 pedometers to St. Stephens Lutheran School to promote their inaugural Wellness Initiative. 
    Beginning January 31, students began an active walking program during the school day, striving to walk as many miles as possible. The students have set a goal of 25,000 miles. The pedometers provide the students with an opportunity to record their mileage. 
    “Exercise is important at any age, especially for children,” said Frye president and chief executive Denny Bruns. “Frye is proud to support this valuable program that encourages children to be active and exercise.” 
    “We are very grateful for Frye’s generosity,” said JoAnne Murray, Ed.D., assistant principal of St. Stephens. “The students began recording their mileage right away. They were very excited.” 
    Frye Regional Medical Center, part of Tenet North Carolina, is a 355-bed acute care facility located at 420 North Center Street in Hickory, NC. The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of Catawba County since 1911. The hospital’s main campus includes a comprehensive heart center and cardiac rehab, orthopedics, bariatric surgery, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, pediatrics, center for neurosciences, cancer center and women’s pavilion. Frye has several extended campuses to serve families throughout the area including: Wellness and Education Center which houses the Center For Diabetes Self-Management Care, perinatal education and community wellness classes; South Campus for psychiatric services; Viewmont and Tate Surgery Centers; Vein and Wound Center/Infusion Care; Pain Center; Piedmont Therapy, offering sports and industrial rehabilitation; two urgent care facilities; FryeCare, an outpatient diagnostic facility; plus HealthPoint, which provides extensive industrial services and programs to employers.
Frye Regional Medical Center is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. To learn more about the hospital, visit www.fryemedctr.com 
    

St. Stephens Lutheran School, Hickory, North Carolina, is a private church related academic organization associated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Its educational program supports instruction for kindergarten through eighth grade, along with a “Five Star” rated preschool program serving three and four year olds. The school supports a student body of 272 children and is jointly accredited by the National Lutheran Schools Accreditation Association and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, as well as being licensed by the state of North Carolina.