Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation

Trick or Treat

Written on October 31, 2012 at 12:40 pm, by Amy Heydlauff

It’s Halloween.  Give it up, all you parents who hope your kids will come home from school and say they don’t want to trick or treat tonight because they don’t really care about candy & it’s too cold.

Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. 

If history is helpful, many parents remember that about day 5 their kids lose interest in candy.  If it disappears (especially gradually) they often don’t even notice.

You can also have your children take their unopened Halloween candy to Beacon Dental, 9477 N. Territorial Road (up to 5 pounds) and be paid $1 per pound on Nov. 5. All the candy along with tooth brushes will be sent to U.S. Troops overseas. Anyone can participate from 4 to 7 p.m.

Have fun, everyone.  Stay warm & be safe.

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Chelsea and Dexter SR2S Kickoff

Written on October 4, 2012 at 1:48 pm, by Kristen Delaney

Wouldn’t you agree the people who know best should be the people we ask before starting something big?  That’s what we figured & that’s our plan.

The Chelsea and Dexter Wellness Coalitions have joined forces with the Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation and Michigan State University’s Small Town Design Initiative to launch the Safe Routes to School Program (SR2S) in Chelsea and Dexter. SR2S is an international movement and a federal program, designed to make it safe, convenient and fun for children to bicycle and walk to school.

One of the most important parts of this process is getting input from community stakeholders about what barriers to safe walking and biking currently exist. We invite you to give your opinion and bring attention to issues in your neighborhood at a SR2S kickoff meeting. There will be a kickoff meeting for each school district.  The Dexter kickoff meeting is Wednesday, October 10th at Creekside Intermediate School and in Chelsea on the following evening, Thursday, October 11th at South Meadows Elementary School. Both meetings will open at 6:30 pm with refreshments and socializing, with the discussion beginning at 7:00 pm. Can’t make it to the meeting? Send your thoughts to our Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Kristen Delaney at kristen@5healthytowns.org and your input will included in the planning.

For more information about SR2S please visit http://saferoutesmichigan.org/

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Exercise is Fun

Written on September 10, 2012 at 9:33 am, by Amy Heydlauff

Jeff Hardcastle, who is on our Board of Directors, said one reason to exercise is usually missing from the list of reasons to exercise.   What about FUN?

Think about four or five neighbor kids playing P-I-G in a driveway; parents & kids horsing around on a local tennis court; throwing a ball onto the roof at an angle & racing to see who can guess where it will come down, then catching it; using school playground equipment in the summer; swimming wherever you can find a place; biking with a parent; jumping on the bed with grandkids (okay – I admit most families aren’t allowed to do this but it’s surprisingly fun, even for adults); walking local trails like those at Eddy Geology Center, Lakeland, Waterloo or Pinckney Recreation Area…  

It’s not that hard and it’s usually free to entice your family or friends to do something fun & healthy.  Happily, in our 5 healthy towns see many of you doing it every day.

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Bike Trip Update

Written on August 3, 2012 at 8:56 am, by Matt Pegouskie

If you’ve visited our website lately, you may have noticed our blog about Tom Clark, Joe Muscato and Pete Cornell’s bike trip.   On July 26th, they were struck by a tractor trailer on a Georgia highway.  Pete Cornell died as a result of the accident.   Tom and Joe are back in Michigan.  Tom was upgraded to serious condition and is at the University of Michigan Trauma Center, Joe received minor injuries and was released from the hospital.  Please keep their families and friends in your thoughts and prayers.  Thank you.

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Just Do It

Written on August 2, 2012 at 2:48 pm, by Amy Heydlauff

The commercials during the Olympics have been terrific – maybe even motivating for some.

The Special K ad says don’t think about what you want to lose.  Think about what you want to gain (self confidence, agility or some other quality).  Another enlightening ad is the one with Olympic athletes describing what they give up.  A bike rider says she hasn’t read good books in forever.  A wrestler says he hasn’t watch tv in almost a year.  A gymnast says he hasn’t had a dessert in two years.  The message about moving wellness (in their case greatness) up on the priority list is clear.

How about this ad we’re attaching as a youtube?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsXRj89cWa0&feature=player_embedded

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Movin’ Right Along Part III

Written on July 26, 2012 at 9:09 am, by Matt Pegouskie

As you know, we’ve been following the travels of Stockbridge Coalition members Tom Clark and Joe Muscato as they bike from Edmonton to Key West.  They continue to battle flat tires, high temperatures, and hilly terrain as they make their way into the deep South.

Since the last time we posted, the guys have crossed over two major rivers (the Ohio and Mississippi) and traveled through Minnesota, Iowa Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky.  On Friday they crossed into the Volunteer State, Tennessee.  They expect to be in Tennessee for a couple more nights before moving into Alabama.

Before you know it, the guys will be sticking their feet in the Atlantic Ocean.  Stay tuned as we get updates courtesy of Jan Clark.

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Walk on the Wild Side

Written on July 24, 2012 at 9:33 am, by Amy Heydlauff

The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) is a study of 230,000 nurse participants that began in 1976.  It is one of the largest & longest running studies of the influences on health.  Landmark conclusions have been drawn about cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other conditions. 

The most recent NHS newsletter dedicated a full page to the benefits of walking – simple, inexpensive walking.  For instance, walking is associated with healthy aging; defined as longevity, good memory, good physical ability, good mental health & no major chronic disease.  In the study, those who walked 1.5 hours per week had a 15-20% greater likelihood of healthy aging – odds we can live with. 

Watch our facebook page over the next week or so.  We’ll list other benefits associated with this simple to perform, easy to begin, daily habit.

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A Picture is Worth…..

Written on July 20, 2012 at 1:43 pm, by Matt Pegouskie

We have all heard Wethe expression “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  Well, at the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation, we like to think a picture is worth a little bit more than that.  We think a picture could be worth a new grill or an outdoor sports package.

We want you to send us photos of you enjoying the summer in healthy ways. Maybe it’s working in the garden, kayaking on vacation or taking your dog for a walk.  E-mail your photos to matt@5healthytowns.org. We will post the photos on facebook on July 30th.  The photo that receives the most ‘likes’ wins.  The winner receives their choice of a new Weber grill, grill accessories and some cash to get some goodies at a local farmers market.  If that’s not your speed, you can choose a summer sports package that includes items to help you enjoy the weather.

So tell your friends, send your best photos and maybe your thousands words will make you a winner!

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Moving Right Along Part 2 -

Written on July 18, 2012 at 12:50 pm, by Matt Pegouskie

Since our last post, Tom, Joe and Pete have travelled from South Dakota to Ottomuwa, Iowa. They’ve battled high heat, high winds and heavy traffic during this leg of their journey. Quite an impressive journey so far and they still have a long way to go before reaching Florida. To put some perspective on their trip – the Tour de France started on June 30th, the same day our riders started their trip. The Tour lasts 21 days and covers 2200 miles. Tom, Joe and Pete will ride approximately 2100 miles in that same time period. Even more impressive is the fact their total trip will be closer to 3300 miles and they are carrying personal gear and spare equipment.

Stay tuned for more updates!

P.S. Thank you to Jan Clark for relaying information from the riders.

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Movin’ Right Along –

Written on July 12, 2012 at 10:25 am, by Matt Pegouskie

If you ask me, every summer that doesn’t include a road trip seems a bit incomplete. However, two of our coalition members are taking the road trip concept one step further. Make that one pedal further. Tom Clark and Joe Muscato, members of the Stockbridge Coalition, are riding their bikes from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to Key West, Florida.

After one full week, they rode 712 miles to Estavan, Saskatchewan, the energy capital of the province. By day 10 they reached Aberdeen, South Dakota. Stay tuned as Tom and Joe make their way to the Sunshine State! We will post updates of their progress.

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