Join us for the first Farmer's Market of the year this Saturday, May 25, at the Grass Lake Outdoor Activity Park behind the Car Wash at 132 N. Lake Street, Grass Lake. The Market will be open 10 AM-1 PM every Saturday throughout the summer and into the fall.

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A web page is now available at http://bit.ly/14REJxA for the purpose of providing opportunities for volunteers who are seeking to connect with those of us who are seeking assistance from volunteers. This service is being sponsored by the Grass Lake Community Wellness Initiative. If you would like to share comments about this web page, please e-mail representatives at volunteergrasslake@gmail.com.

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Class Dates: Thursdays, April 18th-June 6th, 2013.
Time: 6pm at the parking lot on the east side of the Grass Lake High School.

Instructed by Ruth Riedeman, League of American Bicyclists (LAB) cycling instructor. This is an 8 week group ride for parents and their children. Come to these free classes to teach your child proper and safe cycling techniques. We will do drills for bike handling and teach rules for safety. Children need to be able to ride a 2 wheeler (ages 5-12 years old). Each week we will do a warm up (5min), stretching (5min), and lesson (10-20 min) so we can do skilled riding (20-30 min). After the ride, we will include a light dinner. For more information, contact Ruth Riedeman by email at Ruthinmi@gmail.com, or by calling her at 517-522-6499. Click here for a printable flyer.

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"Thank you" to the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation's Board of Directors, to Amy Heydlauff, to Matt Pegouskie, and to active members of the Grass Lake Community Wellness Initiative for your work and assistance toward being awarded over $86,000 toward implementing 12 interventions working related to the Grass Lake community eating better, moving more, avoiding unhealthy substances, and connecting socially. If you are interested in becoming involved with this initiative, our first meeting for 2013 will be January 21, at 6:30 PM in the Grass Lake Township Hall. We would love to see you there.

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Through the leadership of GLHS Science Teacher Andrea Clark, Michigan Green Schools have identified Grass Lake High School as an "Emerald School", and Grass Lake Middle School as a "Green School". To further our efforts toward recycling Mrs. Clark and NHS students began a campaign to collect plastic and returnables to eliminate them from our waste stream by placing collection boxes throughout the High School. Go to http://bit.ly/UQOQb5 to see the complete story.

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In cooperation with the Jackson County Department on Aging and the Federated Church of Grass Lake, the Grass Lake Community Wellness Initative announces a new get-together for Grass Lake Senior Citizens. On the 4th Wednesday of each month, beginning September 26, cold lunches will be provided at the Federated Church at 519 E. Michigan Avenue for anyone 60 and over. Lunches will be provided by the Department of Aging for a suggested donation of $2.00. Call 522-4480 for lunch reservations, or email glfederated@yahoo.com. Please reserve at least a day in advance.

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Every day prescribed pain killers are synthetic forms of heroin. Protect your children from the abuse of prescription drugs by being informed of the types of meds. that are addictive. Keep them locked up. Watch for county-wide drug drop-off days that will allow you to dispose of un-needed or expired prescription drugs. Click here to access a printable flyer

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At a time when farms are disappearing at an alarming rate, and some refer to family farms as an endangered species, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) offers an alternative. CSA is a growing social and agricultural movement that can offer a path to farm preservation, stability and profitability, at the same time that it connects people with their food supply and builds community. Community Supported Agriculture links the source of food (the farm and farmer) to the destination of the food (the consumer, or eater). A central concept in CSA is that farm members, as partners with the farmer, share some of the risks of production. Click here to find a map of CSA's throughout the State.

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The Chelsea Wellness Foundation and the 5 Healthy Towns Project have compiled a large number of various website links that relate to our health and wellness in our daily lives. Click here to access an updated list of these important information sources.

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Too many people have been turned off of running simply by trying to start off too fast. Their bodies rebel, and they wind up miserable, wondering why anyone would possibly want to do this to themselves. You should ease into your running program gradually. In fact, the beginners' program we outline here is less of a running regimen than a walking and jogging program. The idea is to transform you from couch potato to runner, getting you running three miles (or 5K) on a regular basis in just two months. Click here for all of the details of the program.

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The Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition received 18 poster entries for the "Most Teens Don't" countywide poster contest. The posters were judged based on creativity, poster requirements, and message. The four top posters were:
Winner: Don't Let Drugs Control You, Clara Rollan from Grass Lake High School (exchange student), $100 gift card.
Runners up: Clear Your Mind, Rylee Wolfrom from daVinci High School, $25 gift card; Don't Let Them Pull You Under, Carlie Murdock, Grass Lake Middle School, $25 gift card; Stop, Drop and Roll!, Ashley Maldonado, Hannah Bradley, Korrie Kempker, and Danielle Lee, Grass Lake High School, $25 gift cards.
The winning entry will be printed and modified for the spring billboard. Runners up posters will be printed as posters for Jackson County schools. Click here to see the Citizen Patriot article.

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This acknowledgement has been provided by the Grass Lake Community Wellness Initiative - A local group dedicated to making Grass Lake one of the healthiest communities in the Midwest, choosing to "eat better," "move more, "avoid unhealthy substances" and "connect with others in healthy ways."

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Synthetic drugs, or "fake weed" as many people call them, continues its assault on our youth. It is important for parents to know as much about it as possible to help turn the tide of substance abuse. This substance is disguised as an appropriate way to party for many youth and it needs to be controlled. Click here for the latest information from the Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition.

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Amy Heydlauff of the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation offers her thoughts toward childhood obesity related to children in our area. "All around us are kids of every size.  We know that in the 5 Healthy Towns area (Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester & Stockbridge) more kids are overweight than in the State as a whole. The nation, too. But let’s not panic.  Let’s not teach that little boy wearing ‘husky’ jeans to be embarrassed.  Or that little girl to worry she’s not cute if she has cheeks that make you want to pinch them like a great-grandma." Click here to see Amy's comments in their entirety.

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• 1 in 5 teens has abused a prescription pain medication
• 1 in 5 teens report abusing prescription stimulants and tranquilizers
• 1 in 10 teens have abused cough medication

• Though overall teen drug use is down nationwide, more teens abuse prescription drugs than any other illicit drug except marijuana – more than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined.
• Every day, 2,500 kids aged12-17 abuse a prescription painkiller for the first time and more people are getting addicted to prescription drugs.
• Drug treatment admissions for prescription painkillers increased more than 300 percent from 1995 to 2005.
• Teens are abusing prescription drugs because many believe the myth that these drugs provide a ”safe” high.
• Especially troubling is that the majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs say they are easy to get and are often free.

Click here to see ways in which we can help prevent prescription drug abuse, which has been provided to us by the Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition.

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The Grass Lake Community Wellness Initiative is now on Facebook. Watch this site for updates about local happenings regarding the wellness of our community, including suggestions, thoughts, and announcements of upcoming meetings, workshops, and forums. Click on the Facebook logo on the left to be re-directed to the GLCWI Facebook page.

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The Grass Lake Community Wellness Initiative is working with organizations across southern Michigan to improve the wellness of our communities. One of the most dangerous and potentially deadly impediments to improving wellness in the United States is the use of heroin. In the 12/27/11 edition of the Jackson Citizen Patriot, an interview with a local young man reports his all too common path toward heroin abuse, how he eventually ended up in jail, the regrets he has toward his family, friends, and community, and the hope he has for the future. He is sharing his story as a warning to other young people who may have a vision that drug use has benefits. Local advocate Mike Hirst works tirelessly to help addicts regain their lives, and also to help law enforcement clamp down on the supply lines of this dangerous drug. As Mike reminds all of us, “drugs first take your money, then they take your freedom, then they take your life.” Click here to see the Citizen Patriot story. If you want to learn more about Mike’s mission, you can call him at 517-206-8563, or you can look for Andy’s Angels on Facebook, which is Mike’s foundation.

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The eventual AAA Georgia State Champion Football team turned around its success when it was discovered that they weren't getting the nutrition they needed throughout the day. After receiving a grant and feeding the players better, their performance improved tremendously allowing them to finish the season with a 14-1 record and a state championship trophy. Click here to see the story.

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Early literacy skills are essential to a child's success in school and throughout life. Recognizing the need to strengthen and support early literacy efforts in the community to ensure all young children get the best start possible, the Great Start Collaborative of Jackson County launched Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in April of 2008 with the generous support of CMS Energy. Every child under age five who resides in Jackson County is eligible to receive a free, age-appropriate book each month until their fifth birthday. Click here for more information or to sign up.

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Nearly 2 miles of grass and stoned walking trails are now available for use by the public at the Grass Lake Community Sports and Trails Recreation Park located on Willis Road between W. Michigan Avenue and Winegar Road. The majority of the funding for the project came from a grant from the Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation. The Foundation gave the township a $42,000 grant to help with the trails. The remainder of the $44,600 bid was donated by the contractor on the job, Bailey Sand and Gravel. Click here to see a slideshow exhibiting different areas of the path. (This is a large file. Use the "down" key to scroll through it.) This slideshow also includes an aerial view of the park indicating the trail routes. Thank you to Jim Stormont for preparing this slideshow. The public is invited to enjoy this valuable resource.

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If you've eyed the cast-iron kettlebells at your gym and couldn't imagine a use for them beyond doorstop, keep reading. Researchers found that people who did a 20-minute kettlebell workout torched almost 300 calories—and that's just for starters. When you factor in the muscle-sculpting impact (the calories burned after you exercise as your body repairs its muscle fibers), the total expenditure could increase by up to 50 percent. Kettlebell workouts have become a popular way to tone your body and increase flexibility. Click here for a 10-minute instructional video.

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Children across the country are being bombarded with choices that we wish they would never have to make. But the reality is that some of the most dangerous drugs are readily available in our own medicine cabinets in our own homes. Parents need to know about the items available to their children in their homes, as well as the homes of others. Take a look at the website at http://srslychelsea.org/facts.html for more information about the dangers of these substances and tips for children and parents toward avoiding the substances effectively without straining interpersonal relationships.

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There are synthetic drugs that are marketed and sold as herbal incense across the United States, including Michigan, Jackson County, and online. They are being touted as “legal pot” or “fake weed”. They are carrying product names such as K2, Spice, Blaze, and Black Mamba. They were not intended for human consumption, but have found their way onto the market because kids can use them to get high and they are very difficult to detect in typical drug tests. Even though they are now illegal in Michigan, marketers continue to create new forms of the drug. Parents need to become familiar with the dangers these drugs present to their children. Click here to understand where the drug came from, how it is marketed, and what is being done to prevent its distribution. This is a large file. If you have problems opening it, call 522-5544 or e-mail dmoeckel@grasslakeschools.com and a copy will be sent to you.

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As of 2008, teens cite prescription drugs as the second most accessible drugs available to them, after marijuana. Teens also view the drugs as 'safe' highs. Prescription drugs are medications that should only be used as prescribed. The addictive potential of prescription drugs is the same as that of illegal drugs -- such as cocaine or heroin -- and the consequences of use can be severe. Opioid (analgesic/narcotic pain relievers) drugs are the most commonly misused of prescription drugs. Click here to see more information about the dangers of misused and abused prescription drugs.

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In the Governor's special message on health and wellness he mentioned the efforts of the 5H coalition as being a best practice. His comments included, "Community-based foundations and non-profit organizations can play an important role in improving the wellness of Michiganders. A best practice is the work being done by the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation, which has instituted the Five Healthy Towns Project (5H) with the goal of making Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, Grass Lake and Stockbridge the five healthiest towns in the Midwest. The 5H is a comprehensive, community-based project designed to expand wellness programs, infrastructure, and policies that spotlight wellness issues, foster collaboration, and close wellness gaps." Our efforts are not only beneficial to our communities, but they are being noticed by a widening circle of observers. Great Job!! Click here to see the Governor's full report.

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The Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation recommends The Farmers Market Cookbook - Great recipes for using those tasty fresh fruits and vegetables! Click here to access the cookbook as a PDF file.

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Addiction isn't just about willpower. It's a chronic brain disease, says a new definition aimed at helping families and their doctors better understand the challenges of treating it. Like other chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, treating addiction and preventing relapse is a long-term endeavor. Click here to see the USA Today article. (This article was found on the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation's Facebook page.)

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Exercising just 15 minutes a day can add three years to your life, according to a study measuring the health benefits of low levels of activity. The large-scale study by Taiwanese researchers found people who averaged 90 minutes a week of moderate exercise had a 14 percent lower risk of dying after eight years, compared with those who were inactive. And their life expectancy was three years longer. Every additional 15 minutes of daily exercise lowered the risk another 4 percent -- and the risk of dying from cancer dropped by 1 percent.Click here to see the entire MLive article.

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GLCWI Nutrition Sub-Committee Chair Lisa Lutchka shares that volunteer Heather Davidson reports that healthy food options at the Grass Lake Summer Youth League concession stand were a great success this summer. We hope to build on this success through the end of the baseball/softball season and into the fall sports seasons, PTO activities, and other venues where our children can be exposed to healthy options that taste good. Click here to see Lisa's complete remarks. Thank you to Heather and Lisa for your efforts toward this important outcome.

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The Chelsea Wellness Center is starting the 10,000 Step Challenge on July 11th. The event runs for four weeks and participants receive a pedometer, log sheet, journal and a weekly scheduled walked. For more information, call 734.214.0220.
The Wellness Center is also offering free yoga to the public on Thursday nights at 8:30 pm in front of the SRSLY Cinema movie screen, which is behind the clock tower on Main St. in downtown Chelsea. Then after yoga, you can stay for free outdoor movies, starting at dusk, and offered by SRSLY! Also open to the public.

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Detroit News columnist Terry Foster details a day of youth soccer and the positive effects of nutritious meals for his daughter's team. Click here to read the Detroit New article.

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Heart disease is the leading killer of Americans, according to the American Heart Association, but it isn’t always easy to tell if you’re having a heart attack. Typically, a heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks the blood flow to the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. This blockage usually happens when one or more coronary arteries narrow due to unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise or high stress, to name a few. Symptoms typical of a heart attack include sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, anxiety and nausea. The most prominent symptom is a squeezing chest pain, that can extend into the neck or down to the left or right arm and last a few minutes at a time. However, chest pain isn’t always the most prominent symptom among women. Click here to see the Citizen Patriot story to see symptoms of heart attacks and ways to avoid them.

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Step by Step is a community wellness campaign developed by the Health Improvement Organization (HIO) to address some of the largest health issues facing Jackson County: nutrition, exercise, smoking and stress. The HIO wanted to launch Step by Step in Jackson County to help people understand what the issues are, and more importantly what they can do about them, using local resources to live healthier. Step by Step is all about helping community members with small steps everyone can take to live healthy so that we can all help make Jackson a healthier, more vibrant place to live, work and play.

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Muscle mass and strength start to decline at age 25 at about one-half pound a year, according to the American Council on Exercise. It becomes more noticeable about age 50. This loss of muscle mass due to aging is called sarcopenia. Troy Thielen, a fitness assistant at Allegiance Health, says strength training doesn’t have to be a full-time effort. But consistency is a key, he says. Click here for the full story from the Citizen Patriot.

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From the Citizen Patriot - It’s well-known that diet and exercise are the keys to losing weight. But for many of us, it’s difficult to spare the time it takes to work out or plan healthier meals. Because of our busy schedules, we turn to convenient meals that are often loaded with calories. This article explains a proven process that you help you reach your goals.

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If you’ve looked into the mirror recently and didn’t recognize the person staring back, there is good news. Men's Health magazine has developed a list of the five biggest fitness blunders—along with the fixes you need for the results you want. Click here to read tips that are directed at men AND women.

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Jackson County has health issues. The Jackson Citizen Patriot reports that the health statistics are gloomy for Jackson County residents, and until people are ready to quit offering excuses about having no time to cook or exercise, three area experts say it will only get worse. Giving up bad habits, everything from smoking to over-eating, is hard. Perhaps in this “feel good” era, experts said we need to give ourselves a regular dose of tough love to get started and stay on a healthy path. Click here to see the Cit Pat story.

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What are “bath salts”? “Bath salts” is a “designer drug” that has been recently become available. This is a powerful drug that causes severe side effects. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in the New Orleans area has confirmed that much of the supply is coming in from China and is distributed to head shops, convenience stores and through the Internet. This drug is not useful as a bath product. The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) reports a surge of cases across the state related to the recreational use “bath salts.” Emergency departments have reported cases over the past four weeks, with one suspected death. Most were young adults in their 20’s to 30’s. Click here for more information.

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Jim Scott, Ph.D., professor of health and physical fitness at Jackson Community College, says too often people try to fit workouts around other obligations, when exercise should be scheduled first. “Make it a priority,” he says. Click here for the details.

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Bob Moles, YMCA Trainer, was recently quoted in the Citizen Patriot suggesting that push-ups are the very best exercise for the upper body. Click here to read the article that explains the benefits of this exercise and the proper techniques for completing it.

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