TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

The problems the neighborhood dancing group faced were simple: scratched CDs were skipping, and the long extension cord created a tripping hazard for nearby children.

But a new music player wasn't in the budget for a group of Greenfield residents who exercise in Stiern Park every weekday morning.

Thanks to a grant from a collaboration called Building Healthy Communities, though, the group was able to purchase an iPod and speakers -- equipment that will keep the tunes flowing and the women dancing.

"It's been a tremendous help -- music is how we attract more people to our group," said Gema Perez, a member who spearheaded the application. The award "empowered us, made us feel good about what we're doing and gave us encouragement to continue."

The Greenfield Walking Group is just one of the Kern County organizations and individuals receiving about $500 each for their health-related efforts. The grants are a small part of the California Endowment's Building Healthy Communities effort in four south Kern communities: Arvin, Lamont, Weedpatch and Greenfield.

Over 10 years, the program will inject a total of $1 billion into 14 areas across the state in the hopes of improving residents' health. The Endowment has poured about $4 million into the South Kern effort, which kicked off in 2010.

Building Healthy Communities received about 50 applicants for the mini-grants and selected about half for the awards. The process encouraged regular residents to brainstorm the small steps they can take to improve their day-to-day health, observers said.

"It's a neat opportunity to give residents a vision," said Mariel Mehdipour, the director of health promotion and public information for Kern County's public health department. "Sometimes it feels like, 'What can I do as an individual?' This opens up a different world for them."

The breadth of the projects also illustrated the diverse players who can contribute to community health improvements, she added. As part of the process, a church in Arvin was selected for its project: planting trees to add to the region's green space.

"What's awesome is that it's all these different sectors," Mehdipour said. "It's not just a school or agencies. It's a church. Who would think of a church?"

Common themes that emerged in the applications were community gardens and recreational activities for youth. One recipient was a youth soccer league, which is using the money to buy team T-shirts. Another group from Di Giorgio Elementary School in Arvin used the funding for recreational equipment such as soccer balls, baseball gloves and bats.

At the Friendship House, a community center in south Bakersfield that serves the Greenfield area, the money went toward seeds, soil and equipment to create a garden.

"We had the vision, and this provided us with the start-up funds," said Lois Hannible, the program manager there.

The group had an added bonus when they went to purchase supplies at The Home Depot: the store donated supplies and connected the group with volunteers to help with the creation.

Even during the cold months, there's some greens that are flourishing. More than anything, the garden teaches both children and adults to think more about nutrition, Hannible said.

"Because they had a hand in growing, this is what they want to eat," she said.

In some cases, the concept of health was applied broadly. One winner was an effort to paint over neighborhood graffiti, which ties into health because it improves the overall neighborhood wellbeing, said Nina Pickett, a Lamont-based Building Healthy Communities assistant coordinator.

Pickett echoed the message of empowerment, the idea that putting the responsibility in the hands of residents can have tremendous effects. Ideas can emerge that are unexpected but reflect the community needs at a grassroots level, she said.

Ultimately, that can lead to more community leadership, which is essential if the health efforts are to extend beyond the Building Healthy Communities' 10-year commitment in south Kern.

"We want community members to learn how to collaborate," she said. "There's only so much you can do with $500, but this builds initiative, creativity and collaboration."