Fairmont Youth Make Voices Heard!

Fairmont Area Schools held its first Youth Wellness Committee meeting on Friday, December 6^th. The Committee consisted of 10 students between the ages of 8 and 12. The Youth Wellness Committee is designed to give students a voice on healthy changes for their school. We wanted to hear from a students’ perspective how they feel about school nutrition and active school day activities. These 10 students are very passionate about health and are looking forward to helping their school make changes to their wellness policies. Students will meet once a month, focusing on different topics at each meeting. In January, students will spend time focusing on school nutrition.  CJFMW SHIP is excited to see the outcome of having students lead the healthy efforts in their school!

Park Apartments in St. James Adopts Smoke-Free Policy!

Park Apartments in St James, MN was designed to provide safe and healthy environment for its residents.   On April 1, 2013, a smoke-free policy goes into effect.  The smoke-free policy covers all units, all common areas and 25 feet around the perimeter of the building.

Linda Blackstad, Executive Director for the St James HRA/Park Apartments, says the company chose to put the smoke-free policy into effect as a way to prevent secondhand smoke exposure in the building. “The health and well being of residents is our top priority. A smoke-free building is safer and contributes to a better living environment,” she said.

“We want apartment name to be a home all residents will enjoy,” said Blackstad.

With the help of Bonnie Frederickson, CJFMW SHIP Community Specialist, a tenant survey was conducted.  The survey indicated that the majority of respondents were in favor of living in a smoke free building.  They also recognized the dangers of secondhand smoke.  Based on this survey, the HRA board passed a resolution on November 8 to adopt a smoke free building policy. 

Notification of tenants regarding the policy is underway.  Tenant education will be provided, including cessation supports in the near future.  Tenant leases will include an addendum that addresses the smoke-free policy and will need to be signed by each tenant.  The entire building will be smoke-free on April 1.

Live Smoke Free, a program of the Association of Non-Smokers Minnesota has been offering assistance to the CJFMW Smoke Free Multi-unit Housing strategy including the Lunch and Learn that was held in Fairmont on October 18.   

Movement Fuels Brain Power!

The Minnesota Department of Health and SHIP offered a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) training at Jackson County Central Schools on November 15.  The training was open to all districts within Cottonwood, Jackson, Watonwan, Faribault and Martin Counties.  The day-long event was facilitated by a certified training for the National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NAPSE), Georgi Roberts.  Roberts is the Director of Health and Physical Education for the Fort Worth Independent School District. With more than 40 people in attendance, the goal of the training was to develop a comprehensive plan for physical activity with staff, and through before and after school programs, physical activity in the classroom and recess, as well as physical activity extending beyond the school day to bring families and community together in a healthy way.  

 

Because all kids need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, schools need to be creative to create a culture where physical activity is welcome and part of the school day.  Time for physical activity does not decrease academic achievement; rather it removes barriers to learning.  Research shows physical activity during school can reinforce and link classroom content, and facilitates retention, concentration and on-task behavior. Roberts offered practical ways for schools to change the way they do things and focus on healthier activities.  Some examples included adding Jammin’ Minute physical activities twice or more each day to get kids up and moving;  drop in activity time for middle school and high school kids where activities are available such as Boo-Boo Volleyball and Cardio Four Square; evaluating fundraising efforts to eliminate selling cookie dough and instead trying to plan a walk-a-thon (one school with 700 children raised more than $34,000 from one walk-a-thon!); try recess before lunch and schedule classes that kids struggle with right after lunch; develop an award program such as the “bronzed sneaker trophy” that can be moved monthly to the class demonstrating the most physical activity in their day; incorporate movement into meetings either through frequent activity breaks or through walking meetings; develop walking school buses; plan Fitness Friday and encourage parents and kids to walk together, or host a field day for families.

 

The training offered practical ideas that can be implement immediately, and other ideas that will take some time to plan with staff to ensure everyone is on board from food service, teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians and administration.  The lesson learned is that physical activity increases brain activity, so Let’s Move!

Growing Healthy Communities in Cottonwood, Jackson, Faribault, Martin and Watonwan Counties

It was a lovely night in October when about 110 community leaders from all five counties came together to learn more about how the SHIP program is working with community partners to create healthier communities. Special guest speakers for the evening included:Miss Minnesota Siri Freeh, Senator Julie Rosen and Deputy Commissioner James Koppel. Several community members also had time to share their story of how SHIP funds are making a difference in their community or organization. The program also featured a menu of 12 foods from 12 different local growers/producers in the area. Thank you to everyone who attended, to the local growers for providing the food, to our wonderful community partners and speakers!!

Miss Minnesota with a few of the local growers who provided food for the event

Miss Minnesota and Deputy Commissioner James Koppel

Miss Minnesota and Senator Julie Rosen

Miss Minnesota and a few of the CJFMW SHIP Staff

Smoke-Free Housing: The Smart Investment for Property Managers

Area Apartment Owners and Managers are Invited to Attend Lunch and Learn on Smoke-Free Policies for Multi-unit Housing   

 

Thursday, October 18^th

11:30-1:00pm,

Fairmont Pizza Ranch

1101 North State Street

 

Join the Cottonwood-Jackson-Faribault-Martin-Watonwan Statewide Health Program (CJFMW SHIP) and learn how a smoke-free policy can help protect your investment and save you money.  Topics to be covered include how to work successfully with residents, how to effectively implement a policy on your property, and answers to common legal questions.

 

This free lunch and learn will feature guest speakers Kara Skahen from the Live Smoke Free program in St. Paul and Warren Ortland, a staff attorney from the Public Health Law Center in St. Paul.  Both have extensive experience assisting landlords throughout Minnesota in adopting smoke-free policies for their properties.  Bonnie Frederickson, Public Health Nurse and community specialist with CJFMW SHIP also will be available to review the resources available locally to help property owners and managers develop smoke-free policy.

 

Pre-registration is needed by Saturday, October 13.  RSVP’s can be made online at   https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fairmontlunchlearn.   Questions on this event can be directed to Bonnie Frederickson, CJFMW SHIP Community Specialist at kbfred@federatedwildblue.com or by calling 507-831-5091.                                           

 

This event is made possible through local funding to Human Services of Faribault and Martin Counties in collaboration with Cottonwood and Jackson Counties Community Health Services and Watonwan County Human Services. For more information, visit www.shipfmw.blogspot.com or http://www.health.state.mn.us/healthreform/ship. 

You're Invited!

 

 

Fairmont Holiday Inn

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

6:00p.m. Dinner and Presentation

Our community plays a big role in our health. We need readily available fresh fruits and vegetables and safe places to walk and bike. We need our schools to offer healthy foods and encourage physical activity. We need our workplaces to encourage physical activity and healthy options. We need smoke-free multi-unit housing, work places and campuses.

Creating healthy communities not only improves the health of the citizens who live there, but also boosts economic development, communi-ty vitality and enhances the quality of life for all—whether it is the child learning about new fruits and vegetables in daycare to the senior citizen, no longer able to drive, but who can safely walk to the post office and remain independent.

Our local Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) has been working hard on exactly that. Find out more on October 23, including, what more needs to be done, and what we can accomplish, together.

This event is free, however RSVP is required by October 19, 2012 by registering here:

SHIP FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Community Nutrition

SHIP has new mini-grant funding opportunities!!  We are awarding out $20,000 of funding to projects that aim to increase access and consumption of healthy foods. Grants up to $5,000 will be awarded to at least 4 sites within the five counties (Cottonwood, Jackson, Faribault, Martin & Watonwan)

Potential projects include:

 -Increasing EBT access at Farmers’ Markets

 -Starting a Farmers’ Market in a community, worksite, school or hospital.

 -Offering nutrition information on menu’s (local restaurants)

 -Processing local foods

 -Developing marketing campaigns to promote locally grown foods and Farmers’ Markets

 -Developing a directory of processors, growers, and rental spaces for processing

 -Developing “virtual” Farmers Markets or CSA’s – places where people could go t

 -Composting

 -Increasing access to healthy foods through corner store initiatives.

 -OTHER: Innovative Ideas that aim to increase consumption of healthy foods and increase access to those foods will be accepted

Eligible applicants include private businesses, faith institutions, non-profit organizations, government agencies and all other entities interested in moving the food system forward in our communities. Examples of potential organizations include: community organizations, churches, farmers’ markets, corner stores, food shelves, restaurants and other healthier food outlets to work on the Farm to Fork, Establishing/Creating Healthier Food Outlets or Nutrition Labeling. 

I have enclosed the application and application instructions/background information which provides more information. Please share this information with other you think may be interested in applying. Applications are due electronically to Chera Sevcik (chera.sevcik@fmchs.com)  by 5:00p.m. on August 17, 2012.  Applicants will be notified of their grant award by September 17, with a grantee start date no later than October 1, 2012. SHIP staff are available to help formulate and brainstorm ideas, pre-approve SHIP allowable expenditures and answer any questions potential applicants may have. 

The application and application instructions are available by clicking the links below.

Community Nutrition Application

Community Nutrition Application Instructions