A new community project is taking shape in Niles. Graduates of the Community Leadership Academy unveiled Four Flags Fit, an outdoor fitness club designed to bring residents together through shared physical activity, during a celebration Wednesday, July 29, at Apothica Teas in downtown Niles.
The club aims to give neighbors regular opportunities to be active together outdoors, with possibilities including walking, biking, skating, tennis, pickleball, and soccer. Cohort graduates Geneva Nneka Okeke and Deborah Fox presented the plan to a crowd of community members, families, and local leaders, capping off 13 weeks of leadership training, neighborhood assessment, and project development.
The celebration marked the completion of the second cohort of the Community Leadership Academy, a program led by Be Healthy Berrien and Corewell Health that equips residents with the skills, knowledge, and resources to create positive change in their neighborhoods. Emily Vilmure, supervisor of community programs for the Corewell Center for Wellness in Benton Harbor, led the cohort.
Following the presentation, Corewell Health presented the group with a $3,000 check to help bring the project to life.
Now the graduates are asking for input from their neighbors. A community survey invites Niles residents to share which activities they would like to see offered and whether they are interested in leading one. The survey is available at behealthyberrien.org.
The first Community Leadership Academy cohort graduated in Benton Harbor in December 2025 after developing a project focused on youth gun violence awareness. The Academy is funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund through a grant to United Way of Southwest Michigan, and the Niles cohort is part of a broader effort to expand the model across Berrien County.
About Be Healthy Berrien
Be Healthy Berrien, launched in 2010, is a countywide initiative improving community health through policy, systems, and environmental changes. It works to expand access to nutritious food and promote active living across Berrien County. The steering committee includes the Berrien County Health Department, Corewell Health, the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, and the YMCA of Greater Michiana, with United Way of Southwest Michigan serving as the anchor agency and fiduciary. Learn more at BeHealthyBerrien.org.
About United Way of Southwest Michigan
United Way of Southwest Michigan works to create and sustain a united & resilient community where everyone contributes, belongs and thrives. We harness resources from corporate, nonprofit, and public partners to address our community’s most pressing challenges and make lasting change. Join us in giving, advocating, and volunteering by visiting uwsm.org
About Corewell Health ™
People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 65,000+ dedicated people—including more than 12,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,500 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.