Soccer: No longer just a vision in Madelia!

The Watonwan County Latino Wellness Council, started with SHIP funds, has identified and begun working on a number of SHIP initiatives. The first project they tackled was working with the City of Madelia to establish a place to play soccer games and to practice. A youth league was started last year and had over 95 children signed up to participate. This league is for youth ages 4-14. A new youth league, for youth ages 15-19, was started this year. Because of the lack of field space, this league was forced to have home games played in neighboring communities. In addition to the youth leagues, there is also a very active adult league who is in need of a home field. The Latino Council worked with the City Administrator to identify land space and draft a proposal to take to the City Council. 12 Latinos along with FMW SHIP Coordinator, Chera Sevcik and Latino Wellness Council mini-grant manager, Ellen De la torre, presented their proposal to the Madelia City Council on March 28. The Madelia City Council approved use of the land for soccer, and even provided additional field space to practice and play until the land has been graded, seeded and is playable.

To help get the field off and running, the Latino Wellness Council is able to use their SHIP mini-grant funds to purchase grass seed, field chalk, soccer goals and a portable storage shed to store community soccer equipment.

FMW SHIP awards 3 new mini-grants!

We are thrilled to announce two new mini-grantees joining our SHIP work! In Faribault County, 4-H and the Blue Earth Area Mentors Program (BEAM) wrote a mini-grant to establish a community garden -in-a-box program. Land has been acquired at the Faribault County Fairgrounds for the box garden projects to go. This program aims to provide education to youth about gardening and understand how and where our food comes from. Two new grants were awarded in Martin County. Martin County 4-H wrote a mini-grant to establish a box garden project. Within the 4-H program, Fairmont Garden Clubs will be established and promoted to youth as a summer activity. Their goal is to incorporate some inter-generational interest by designating 4 sites as home to the garden boxes. Sites will include places like the Martin County Library, daycare centers, Senior and Assisted Living facilities. Youth will be involved in planting, gardening and harvesting their produce. This project will also include an educational curriculum and support from the University of Minnesota - Extension Master Gardeners. Rural Advantage, a local non-profit organization dedicated to connecting local growers with cafeterias, and providing education about local foods, wrote a mini-grant to re-establish the Fairmont Community Gardens in a new site, next the the aquatic center in Fairmont. The land previously used for community gardens will become a new softball complex with construction starting soon. Rural Advantage will be working to re-establish, oversee and market the community garden. Another part of their mini-grant is to incorporate EBT (SNAP Food Support Program) access at the Farmers' Markets in Fairmont. This will allow individuals and families using food support to access fresh, local produce. They will also continue to promote their Farm to Cafeteria Program and provide support to local growers in Martin County.