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Spreading Wellness
 It’s not often you can find the job of your dreams at just the right time in your life in just the right city. But Dawn Hedlund has done just that.
Hedlund, a Registered Dietitian, is the new Wellness Coordinator at Roseau Area Hospital and Homes, and now—just a few months into her new position—the serendipity of her situation is sinking in.
“I’m so excited to be back in Roseau and now a part of Roseau Area Hospital and Homes. It’s a great place to work, and the timing couldn’t have been better.” she says.
Hedlund grew up in Roseau before moving away to pursue her education and start her career path.
In 1997, Hedlund graduated from North Dakota State University with a double major in Dietetics and Corporate and Community Fitness, a growing field in the business world commonly referred to as corporate wellness.
“I started working in the fitness industry right after graduation and in 2000 became a registered dietitian. I then worked for five years as a clinical dietitian specializing in eating disorder treatment,” she says. “But then I reached a point in life where we were ready to raise a family. Finding the right community for that was important to us, and moving back to Roseau gave us exactly what we wanted.”
Call it fate or fortunate coincidence, at the same time, Roseau Area Hospital and Homes was in the process of developing its new wellness coordinator position.
The wellness coordinator role was created to help build and expand relationships within the communities served by Roseau Area Hospital and Homes. Hedlund’s knowledge, credentials, experience, and outgoing personality made her the right choice for the position.
Since joining the staff at RAHH in May, Hedlund has already been involved with several health education events around the county, including a 4-H sponsored program held in conjunction with the County Fair Fashion Review.
That event allowed Hedlund to meet 50 young women and discuss the importance of calcium in a healthy diet, especially during adolescent years when the body is growing and developing.
Many connections
 Hedlund is thrilled to be able to share her passion for education with others.
“Part of my job is to bring health education information to area schools, businesses and community groups. The ultimate goal is a healthier Roseau County,” she says.
She will continues to develop and implement community activities with fellow healthcare professionals at RAHH.
“As wellness coordinator, I’m fortunate to be in close contact with many experts in our organization. It creates a huge pool of knowledge to draw from, especially when it comes time to organize an event on nearly any health related topic,” she says. “If I don’t have an answer, I know exactly who does and we can work together to make the event even stronger.”
Being able to coordinate the people and information needed to produce a successful educational event or public health forum is an exciting challenge that Hedlund welcomes with open arms.
“That’s exactly what this job is all about.”
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