Area Childcare Providers Doing the "Twist & Sprout"

 

FMW SHIP partnered with Provider’s Choice, a local food program working with home daycare providers to offer free trainings in Fairmont and St. James aimed at giving daycare providers information and tools needed to create healthy childcare programs.  Twist & Sprout is supporting child care providers on many levels: from engaging, in-person workshops to recipe and menu ideas. The training also coincides with Minnesota’s Parent Aware Program.  Over 50 childcare providers from Faribault, Martin and Watonwan Counties participated in the Twist and Sprout childcare trainings. The training is focused on encouraging providers to adopt best practices related to child health and wellness. The areas of best practice in the Twist and Sprout training include:

·         Creating a place for breastfeeding and safely handing of breast milk

·         Planning menus with vegetables offered two times per day

·         Serving family style meals

·         Provider eating meals with the children

·         Scheduling time for active play

·         Providing portable play equipment

·         Including health policies in the parent handbook

 

After the training, providers who incorporate these best practices into their childcare programs can apply to become “Twist & Sprout” certified. A childcare provider in Fairmont was the first in the area to become certified and as a result, received portable play equipment package valued at over $150!

 

The program is available to all providers, whether or not they use Provider's Choice for their food program. More information about the Twist and Sprout Program can be found: http://www.providerschoice.com/twistandsprout/

Madelia Active Living: Connecting Residents to Resources

 

 

It all started with a small group of interested community members, and grew into a huge community-wide effort to improve walking and biking for the residents of Madelia. The Madelia Active Living Coalition identified several issues related to safe walking and biking opportunities in the community. After working with Region 9 Development Commission to develop an Active Living Plan for the community, the group now has begun the process of implementing their plan.

One of their first priorities was to work with city and county officials to develop a plan for implementing a pedestrian lane on Drew Ave SE (County Road 58) which is a county state aid road that will connect pedestrians from Main Street to the hospital, high school, Tony Downs Foods, Luther Memorial Home and recreational areas such as the community park, pool and soccer fields. This plan includes designating one side for pedestrians and bikers. Roger Risser, Watonwan County Engineer and Julie Pace from the Madelia Active Living Coalition presented their plan to Madelia City Council who needed to approve as well as designate no parking along the side of the road with the pedestrian lane. After reviewing, the city council adopted the plan and passed resolutions for no parking along Drew Ave. The group also partnered with the light department who were able to install new, brighter lights along Drew Ave to increase safety and visibility at night!

The Madelia Active Living Coalition was also able to work with the city to develop a vacant lot into a cinder trail that would connect Drew Ave pedestrian lane to safely cross Benzel Ave to access the community park, pool and soccer fields. The city and county are planning to do curb cuts to ensure the crossing is safe for those on wheels or feet. This allows pedestrians to avoid a dangerous triangle intersection. In the future, the city plans to build a new fire station on the vacant land and plans to make the path permanent.

This past summer, during Madelia Park Days, the Active Living Coalition also held an Open Streets event encouraging people to walk and bike within the community. Children attending the event were greeted by area mascots: Mankato Moondog Muttnick, Victor Viking and Goldy Gopher. Around 100 community members attended the event.