The City of Wells Gets ACTIVE!

In support of a new City Proclamation encouraging the citizens of Wells to be physically active and eat healthy, the Wells Area Active Living Coalition is sponsoring a 4 Week Healthy Lifestyles Challenge. Even blizzard-like conditions didn't stop nearly 90 citizens from attending the kick-off event and signing up for the challenge at the Wells Community Building on Wednesday, May 1st. Those attending the kick-off received helpful information from the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Bike Safety, Wells Area Chamber of Commerce, The Grind, Workout 24/7, USC Schools SMART, SPARK and school nutrition, USC Community Education, Safe Routes to School, LANA the Iguana and I Am Moving I Am Learning Early Childhood curriculum.  Bolton & Menk provided a walking map with 6 routes with varying mileage. Delicious and healthy snacks were provided by Wells Marketplace. Registration remained open through May 8th, where an additional 75 participants signed up to participate!

 

Participants in the Challenge received a fact sheet discussing the value of healthy eating and physical activity and a daily log to check off their successes in the following categories:

• No smoking
• 5+ fruits and vegetables
• 64oz water
• 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity
• Stress Management
• Weight Maintenance

The Challenge will end May 29^th 6-8 pm at Half Moon Park with a drawing for prizes and awarding of t-shirts at 7pm for all who check off a minimum of 50 items on the challenge sheet.  Participants are encouraged to bring a healthy picnic lunch and take a walk around the park.

 

 

 

 

Garden Court Apartments in Winnebago Holds Successful Resident Presentation

 

 

Garden Court Apartments in Winnebago implemented a smoke-free building policy that will cover 36 apartments within the building, common areas and the 25 foot perimeter of the building on May 15, 2013.  E-cigarettes are also included in the definition of tobacco products. 

Lois Busse, Apartment Manager for Garden Court Apartments is very excited to be able to provide safe and a healthy environment for its 40 residents.  Busse stated “We knew that we had overwhelming support from our residents to go smoke-free.  The survey we conducted this past winter indicated that over 90% wanted our apartment building to be smoke-free or had no preference.  We also have support from the Theis and Talle, Inc, who is the company that owns our building.”

SHIP staff working with Garden Courts, Bonnie Frederickson, stated, “Lois came to one of our lunch and learn events and wanted us to help them implement a policy.  By working with Live Smoke-Free- a non-profit program that promotes smoke-free apartment living throughout Minnesota-we have the support and resources we need to make this great thing happen at Garden Court Apartments.”  Frederickson stated, “We offered a presentation on April 15 at Garden Court Apartments and had 17 residents attend.  They were surprised to learn about all the damage that secondhand smoke does and what is in secondhand smoke.  Residents are supporting management in this new smoke-free policy.”  Busse noted that cleaning out a unit where the resident has smoked is expensive and is hard to remove the smell of smoke. 

Reba Flanders, a resident at Garden Court Apartments is excited about the policy.  She states, “I feel that making this a smoke—free building would protect me and others from breathing the secondhand smoke that is harmful.  Secondhand smoke affects my sinuses and my lungs.  I should not have to be exposed to these unhealthy conditions that affect my body.  We are looking forward to a smoke-free building for everyone.”

Garden Court Apartments will be working with Frederickson and Live Smoke-Free on the components of implementation including the residents lease addendum (outlines the smoke-free policy), enforcement guidelines, signage options to inform visitors and residents on the new policy, community awareness and promotion of the policy.  A celebration of the Garden Court Smoke-free Building Policy was held on May 15.

Kids Eat FREE This Summer in Windom!

 

Windom Area Schools will be providing Summer Meals for children beginning May 28.  After recently begin approved as a summer meal site, the district will provide nutritious meals for all children ages 1-18 at the Windom Middle School.  Kids can just show up and enjoy a meal that is tasty and nutritious.  Elaine Deutchman, Windom Area Schools Food Service Director said, “We are really excited to be able to offer a nutritious meal for children in Windom.”  The meals will follow Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the MN Department of Education provides suggested lunch meal patterns, but the choice and preparation is the responsibility of the District.  Deutchman said the kids may be served a Sloppy Joe or a turkey sub sandwich with a variety of fruit and vegetable and milk. 

 

One of the really great things about this program is that any child can participate, and you just have to show up.  There is not registration, so if kids are in the area, they can eat a healthy meal at the Middle School.  All children who are part of community education or summer recreation programs can eat free, if grandparents have grandkids visiting, they can eat free, daycare providers can bring children, and kids who live in the area or who are home without parental supervision can enjoy a nutritious meal and eat free.

 

The meal site will be open Monday through Friday from 11:30-12:30 for all children ages 1-18.  Deutchman said, “We do not need any registration, and parents can come with the children, but we do not provide adult meals, and adults cannot eat off the children’s trays.”  Watch your local paper for more details.