You may have seen an ATV simulator at the Washington County Fair and thought of the thrill that comes with such a vehicle.

But Rural Health & Safety of Eastern Iowa, a Johnson County non-profit organization, is educating rural Iowans on the dangers of ATVs and promoting the health of farmers alike. Member Kevin Blind shares how the group began, “Roger Stutsman, he farms in southern Johnson County, a couple years before the formation of this his only son was killed in a farm accident. And he and a friend of his, Kelley Dunham, they got started talking about what they might be able to do and this organization is what they came up with.”

Rural Health & Safety of Eastern Iowa educates all ages about different health issues for rural Iowans including hearing loss, sun exposure, and pulmonary functions. Blind says, “There needs to be a lot more awareness of some of those health issues that are specific to the rural community. Those health issues they kind of creep up on you and you don’t pay a lot of attention. But they are happening because it’s a daily thing where health can deteriorate and when that happens really slowly you don’t notice it.”

The organization has partnered with Mercy Hospital to provide sun exposure screenings at local events, and educate people about grain bin and ATV safety. The group also participated in a kid’s safety day with Washington County Extension this June. Rural Health & Safety of Eastern Iowa received a $2,000 mini grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation that will go toward technology improvements for their mobile trailer.