Healthy Living continues in Marquette County – MI Health Endowment

Healthy living will continue in Marquette County schools, preschools and day cares this year all thanks to a 100,000 grant from The Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency (MARESA), and The Superior Health Foundation and the Community Foundation will be using the money to ensure the continuation of the PE-Nut Expansion Project (P.E.P).

The program is targeted at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity of students in nine local elementary school and Early Childhood Programs in Marquette and Alger Counties.

As part of an in classroom component of the program a health educator visits the schools several times a year to ensure simple consistent messaging to motivate students. Students also get the chance to build their own healthy meals in those classroom settings.

The foundation’s CEO, Gail Anthony, is confident the lessons will provide a unique spin on health education.

“They introduce them in a fun way, hands-on activities, it is increasing the use of healthy foods in the home,” said Anthony. “It’s a fun activity and it’s a good outcome for the families.”

A new feature of P.E.P. is the addition of a new target audience of four-year-olds and their parents, along with an increased role for area grocers and produce departments. They are calling it the “Healthy Heroes” component of the grant. Pre-schools will start distributing punch cards that entitles each child to one free fresh fruit or vegetable per month for six months at participating grocers.

Families of the pre-schoolers will have access to a P.E.P. web page that links the fruit or vegetable of the month with recipes, resources and fitness/activity ideas. Cards will be punched for all 6 months and turned in for one of five “Healthy Heroes” grocery store gift certificates in the amount of $100.00.

Five major grocers have committed to partnering with MARESA. Participating grocers include Tadych’s Econofoods, Marquette, Super One, Negaunee, Jubilee Foods, Ishpeming, Larry’s Foods, Gwinn and Family Fare Supermarket, in Munising.

North Star Academy students receive winter recreation lesson from Noquemanon Trail Network

The Noquemanon Trail Network partnered up with North Star Academy for a day of winter recreation for their students. This was a reward for North Star students for good behavior in class. Lessons were given in snow shoeing and cross country skiing with a bonfire available to warm up.

“It’s nice to get these students out here who don’t normally — who won’t normally participate in these winter outdoor recreation activities,” said JJ Ferrington, Trailhead Host Coordinator. “It gives them the skill to get out here and enjoy the trails and the nature that our winter — that our area provides.” The day was made possible through a grant from the Community Foundation of Marquette County.

Community rises to UPAWS challenge, surpasses year-end goal

Community rises to UPAWS challenge, surpasses year-end goal

At its sold-out annual fundraising gala, the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter announced the public kick-off for the Imagine the PAWSibilites: Campaign for an Animal Community Center. The kick-off included a $100,000 challenge match from the Troudt Fund at the Community Foundation of Marquette County. From October 22 through December 31 every dollar given to the capital campaign would be matched.

UPAWS reached $100,000 in gifts on December 29th; at that time Mark and Christine Troudt pledged another $10,000 to match any gift received or postmarked before the end of the year. At the completion of the challenge, UPAWS is excited to announce that approximately $120,000 was given in honor of the Troudt Challenge and will now receive the full $110,000 challenge gift. These gifts came from over 250 individual donors, businesses, and foundations. The board, staff, and volunteers of UPAWS are honored to have such amazing support from the community.