KEALAKEHE, Hawaii – Kona residents and government officials gathered under the West Hawaii Civic Center gazebo on Wednesday to hear a big announcement.

Michael Stollar, president and COO of Hawai‘i Medical Service Association, informed the crowd that the West Hawaii region has been selected for the Blue Zones Project Hawaii, joining 2015’s selections of East Hawaii and North Hawaii.

That makes Hawaii County the first entire county in the nation to join the movement, project officials say.