YMCA News Archive

Free St. Paul camp has kids fishing, hiking — creating outdoor childhood memories

jeffrey.needham — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Free St. Paul camp has kids fishing, hiking — creating outdoor childhood memories jeffrey.needham Sun, 07/29/2018 - 00:00

At Phalen Regional Park, five children lean against a dock railing, legs anxiously bouncing along with the fishing bobbers floating in front of them.

Five more little bodies sit on the dock, trying to pierce “squiggly” worms with fish hooks.

Every once in a while, there’s an “I-got-one!” squeal, followed by praise from Michelle Kelly, an education specialist for a fishing and aquatic education program called MinnAqua, run by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Kelly sits on the dock, calmly helping children untangle their fishing lines with no apparent worries about the activities of a throng of 9-year-olds.

She isn’t worried because she trained them all for at least 45 minutes on how to cast safely. And she taught them how to take their fish off the hooks.

About an acre from the dock stands a group of children crowding around ice cube trays. The trays hold tiny organisms. The children point to the organisms and name them: water striders, snails, flatheaded mayflies.

The children are at a free weeklong day camp as part of a “Connecting Children to Nature” initiative by the city of St. Paul. The camp pools 98 kindergarten through seventh-grade children from the East Side YMCA, the St. Paul Salvation Army and the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. This is the first year the camp has been made available at Lake Phalen.

All of the children come from families who qualify for free summer lunches through St. Paul Public Schools.

“Our goal was to show them that to enjoy the outdoors, you don’t have to go to the Boundary Waters,” said Niall Murton, YMCA camp and outreach director. “You can do it right here in the city.”

In addition to fishing and identifying invertebrate species in the water, the children learn how to test water quality, climb a rock wall, take nature hikes, build forts, tackle community service projects and roast marshmallows. They can also sit at picnic tables and make bracelets, play camp games like Wiffle ball or scream as loud as they can for the length of a breath: something the kids call “the yelling game.”

The camp employs 14 counselors through grants given to the YMCA. Permit fees from the city were waived, Murton said.

The camp will move to Hidden Falls Regional Park, also in St. Paul, during the week of Aug. 6; 120 children are already registered. This will be the second year the camp will be held at Hidden Falls.

Murton said the goal is to facilitate a year-round relationship with the children, so they can learn how to enjoy nature even in the winter. Joan Schimml, senior director of communications and marketing for the YMCA, estimates that 40 to 50 percent of the campers come from first-generation immigrant families. And when families aren’t used to Minnesota winters, it can be difficult for the children to find things to do out in the cold.

Murton, who moved to Minnesota from England, is passionate about helping the campers create childhood memories in Minnesota — especially the campers who come from outside the country.

“It wasn’t until I connected to fishing and the outdoors that I became a Minnesotan,” Murton said.

Schimml said the camp is about getting the kids away from television, computer and cellphone screens, helping them learn outside of school and keeping them active. But it’s not a camp that takes screens away by force. Counselors haven’t spoken about phones or made any rules about putting them away.

“You don’t see a single phone out,” Schimml said. “It’s just not an issue.”

Read

Annual BreakAway Kids Tri at Elm Creek Park Reserve

jeffrey.needham — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Annual BreakAway Kids Tri at Elm Creek Park Reserve jeffrey.needham Fri, 07/27/2018 - 00:00

YMCA CycleHealth hosted the annual BreakAway Kids Tri at Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove for 750 young participants to swim, bike and run to the finish line.

Read

YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson's Perspective on Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation’s Support of Free Teen Memberships

jeffrey.needham — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 20:02:05 +0000

YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson's Perspective on Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation’s Support of Free Teen Memberships jeffrey.needham Thu, 07/26/2018 - 15:02

The YMCA launched its first national campaign in January 2016, and one of the 60-second spots was titled “Idle Hands.” It’s a powerful video that shows seemingly bored kids with nothing to do.

“Idle hands,” the narrator says in the commercial (The Y: Idle Hands). “They say they’re the devil’s workshop.”

The Pew Research Center reports only 20 percent of today’s 16- and 17-year-olds hold a summer job and that rate is lower among teens of color. And there are overwhelming statistics that show summer time — when their schedules are less structured — is when there is more risky behaviors like violence, drinking and drug use.

That’s why I regard the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation providing free summer memberships to teens so important to the Y’s work. In fact, given past success, we’ve expanded the partnership from 4,800 to 6,200 kids at 25 different Y’s throughout the Twin Cities. The programming for the students includes health and well-being classes, fitness challenges using the Y app, leadership and character development programs, and job readiness and workshops designed to help them with employment opportunities. It also provides an outlet for these young people to serve others. Developing a “social good” conscious will pay back for them and their communities for a lifetime.

I wanted to provide the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation this platform to explain why they have ramped up their support of this program. Here is a Q & A we did with former University of St. Thomas executive vice president and chief operating officer Mark Dienhart, who now is the president and CEO of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation:

Q: Why does the foundation support this summer membership program for teens?

A: It starts with Dick. He grew up in a family that was lower-middle class, where his father owned a business. There weren’t a lot of people who were going to bat for them, and they struggled to make ends meet without any public assistance. So he’s had a bias to help people who are trying to get into the middle class.

This summer program was a perfect way of doing a lot of what he wanted to do. It gives kids a chance to gain access to the Y and a chance to work. We saw this as kids who not only would avail themselves of the fitness and recreation opportunities but also contributing back to the Y with the work that they would be doing.

Q: How often do you hear about the program’s stories of impact?

A: There are so many of them! But there are some things that tend to impress Dick and our board. One is strong leadership, and Glen came to speak to the board at our last board meeting, and we know what a strong leader he is. Dick knows the importance of leadership, and he knows how important it was when he was building his company, and making it the largest consumer electronics retailer in the world. The program can impact so many people and also the values of the organization. All of that dovetails very nicely with what Dick is trying to accomplish with his philanthropy.

Dick’s been involved in a lot of things, but every time I talk to him about the Y, he essentially says, “It’s a tremendous feel good.” That’s what I try to provide for him, and that’s what he deserves, given what he’s trying to accomplish. I’m grateful to Glen and the Y.

We at the Y are so grateful to partner with such amazing individuals and foundations. But there are other elements at work with this program. Oftentimes, our young people get cocooned by others who are most like them. In serving all, we allow kids to be around others from all backgrounds. We are emerging as a richly textured community…a local, yet global community. This is the environment they grow up in, live in and work in. They can broker and bridge relationships, with folks who aren’t like them. Not from the same athletic programs. Not from the same ethnicities.

We also proudly provide caring adults who can help them because we know, in youth development, success is predicated in a young person’s connection to one or more caring adults. This program is connecting those youth to folks at the YMCA who ultimately are looking out for them.

We can’t wait to share more powerful success stories with Mr. Schulze and all of you.

Healthy activities for kids and their grandparents

jeffrey.needham — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Healthy activities for kids and their grandparents jeffrey.needham Tue, 07/24/2018 - 00:00

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - It's summer and with school out, children are often spending more time with their grandparents.

Tuesday on KARE 11 News at 11 we discussed how grand kids and grandparents can do healthy things together with Jennifer Menk, Senior Director of Health and Wellbeing for the Y-M-C-A Of The Greater Twin Cities. Menk got plenty of help from her own family members.

Watch

Heard on the Street: More child care on the way to Rochester

jeffrey.needham — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Heard on the Street: More child care on the way to Rochester jeffrey.needham Mon, 07/23/2018 - 00:00

More child care is on the way for Northwest Rochester.

The YMCA of the North/YMCA Rochester filed a development plan this month to revamp a 12,000-square-foot building at 2364 Valleyhigh Drive NW into a licensed YMCA Early Childhood Learning Center.

YMCA facilities like this offer full-day, year-round day care options for children ages six weeks to five years. There are 10 operating in Twin Cities metro area.

Joan Schimml, senior director of communications and marketing for the Twin Cities YMCA, confirmed the plan to lease building and use it as day care.

She explained that the plan is to be able to accommodate 150 children in the center. The hope is to open it in early 2019.

“The YMCA will be sharing more details about the new Early Childhood Learning Center in early fall,” Schimml said via email.

This project will not directly change anything for Rochester’s YMCA facility at 709 First Ave. SW. The Med City organization voted last year to be taken under the wing of the Twin Cities YMCA.

The building that will house the new center is now occupied by the Rosa Parks Charter High School, formerly called Rochester Off Campus charter high school. The Rosa Parks school is reportedly looking for a new home in Rochester.

Read

YMCA Encourages Youth to Get Outdoors Through Camp Experiences

jeffrey.needham — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 19:04:18 +0000

YMCA Encourages Youth to Get Outdoors Through Camp Experiences jeffrey.needham Thu, 07/19/2018 - 14:04

Research shows without access to out-of-school physical and learning activities, kids fall behind academically and gain weight twice as fast during the summer than the school year.
YMCA summer camp supports the social-emotional growth, cognitive development and physical well-being of kids, and provides an environment where kids can belong, build relationships and realize their potential.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states children ages 8-10 spend almost six hours a day in front of a screen using entertainment media.

The YMCA of the North (YGTC), a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, encourages youth to get outdoors through camp experiences and nature-focused curriculum.

Research shows proximity, views and daily exposure to nature settings increases children’s ability to focus and enhances cognitive abilities. The YMCA supports a positive relationship with the outdoors by introducing the importance of nature, understanding the connection between personal behavior and environmental sustainability and taking action to preserve and protect the environment. However, many communities have limited access to the benefits of nature and the Y works towards narrowing the nature gap within Twin Cities communities by providing opportunities for all.

“The YMCA is committed to providing everyone meaningful outdoor experiences away from TV and computer screens and enjoy nature,” said Glen Gunderson, president and chief executive officer for the YGTC. “The Y is asking the community to ‘Get Outdoors’ as part of the Y’s nature initiative to combat nature deficit. Camp experiences are a great way to spend time and have fun at beautiful parks, lakes, rivers and much more.”

Gunderson added it’s imperative that kids stay engaged socially, physically and academically throughout the summer. Summer camp experiences ensure an environment where youth feel welcomed, build relationships, develop character and discover their potential.

YMCA camps provide opportunities to meet new friends, learn new skills and connect with nature through meaningful outdoor experiences. Gunderson added five reasons youth should attend camp:

Adventure: Camp is all about a wide variety of new experiences, and especially exploring the outdoors. YMCA camps have a new adventure for every child and teen.
Healthy Fun: Day and overnight camps offer fun, stimulating activities that engage the body and mind, and also help children and teens learn the importance of nutrition to help improve their eating habits.
Personal Growth: While in the welcoming environment of camp, youth are encouraged to learn new skills, and develop confidence and independence by taking on new responsibilities and challenges. Camps offer cognitive learning and social-emotional development opportunities for achievement.
Friendships: Amidst the fun of camp games, songs, swimming, canoeing and talent shows, campers meet new friends and strengthen existing friendships. The bonds formed at camp are important and lasting for many youth.
Memories: Camp is an unforgettable experience that will give each camper memories and instill camp traditions that will last a lifetime. Youth return to school with plenty of camp stories to share.

The Y is one of the largest providers of camps in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, offering programs that meet the diverse needs of children, teens and families.

Mobile Day Camp offers activities such as nature hikes, fishing, canoeing and environmental education by providing access to meaningful outdoor experiences to youth from urban communities.
Day Camp provides campers days filled with meeting new friends, learning new skills and connecting with nature through meaningful outdoor experiences and realize the magic of camp before spending the night away from home.
Overnight Camp offers youth opportunities to form lifelong friendships, a sense of self and community, an appreciation of nature and new skills through challenging and fun activities.
Teen Wilderness Camp has teens start in base camp then head out on canoeing, backpacking and rock climbing adventures focused on respect and values that build life skills.
Family Camp offers sessions for the entire family that provide a special time away for strengthening family bonds and traditions. Family weeks or weekends become lifelong memories to share for generations.

Watch how the YMCA connects kids to nature at day camp – Back to Nature

Learn how Mingli has grown through her camp experience – Mingli’s Story

Discover how the YMCA brings day camp to the inner city through Mobile Day Camp – Explore Nature Close to Home

Along with the Y’s camp experiences, there are a variety of other options for the community to get in touch with nature including: self-guided walking tours at camps, field trips, outdoor fitness classes, outdoor play areas at YMCA child care centers and more.

Because the YMCA is a leading nonprofit committed to helping all young people and their families thrive, financial assistance is available to those in need. To learn more about the Y’s programs, please visit ymcamn.org.

Becoming an X-Gamer: Where to skateboard, in-line skate, and motocross

jeffrey.needham — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Becoming an X-Gamer: Where to skateboard, in-line skate, and motocross jeffrey.needham Wed, 07/18/2018 - 00:00

Skateboarding and Inline Skating

Pay-to-play parks:

3rd Lair Skate Park
This huge facility is great for skateboarders and inline skaters of all skill levels. Open skate hours will set you back $15 ($5 if you’re a member), which grants you access to two huge indoor parks and an outdoor skate area where you can practice moves or practice simply standing up. You can also take group and individual classes, attend workshops and clinics, and sign up for “lock-in” sessions for kids. This is also a good place to try out and purchase gear. 850 Florida Ave. S., Golden Valley, 763-797-5283; www.3rdlair.com.

Familia HQ
Located in northeast Minneapolis, Familia HQ is another place to shop, whether you’re in the market for a Bart Simpson board or just want to pick up some sneakers and tees. There’s also an indoor skatepark where you can practice on ramps, rails, and edges. Open skate will set you back $12, or $6 if you’re a member. 835 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-379-3080; www.familiaskateshop.com.

Overpass Skate Park
Operated by 3rd Lair Skate Park, Overpass is one of the biggest skate parks in the metro area. Here you’ll find a huge street course with piano banks, fun boxes, and kinked rails and staircases, as well as protective helmets and pads for rent. Admission is $6 to $8 (neighborhood discounts available). 100 Washington Ave. S., Hopkins, 763-797-5283; www.hopkinsmn.com.

YMCA Tri-City Skate Park
This facility features a concrete bowl and street-course elements for skateboarders, inline skaters, and freestyle bikes. Individual and group lessons are offered for those who need guidance. Admission ranges from $3 to $5, with season passes and deals available for residents in the area. 7355 York Ave. S., Southdale YMCA, Edina, 952-300-3656.

Free community parks:

Armatage Park
This small neighborhood skatepark has steps and a ramp. 2500 W. 57th St., Minneapolis, 612-370-4912; www.minneapolisparks.org.

Bottineau Field Park
This Northeast neighborhood park has it all: steps, ramps, rails, tacos, and more. 2000 Second St. NE, Minneapolis, 612-370-4958; www.minneapolisparks.org.

Brackett Community Center and Park
You’ll find a little bit of everything here, from ramps to rails. 2728 39th Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-370-4924; www.minneapolisparks.org.

Brooklyn Park Skate Park
Practice on ramps and rails on 6,000 square feet of concrete. Hours are from 8 a.m. until sunset, seven days a week until it snows. 5600 85th Ave. N., Brooklyn Park, 763-493-8333.

Burnsville Lions Skate Park
This 11,500-square-foot outdoor facility offers fun for skateboarders, scooters, inline skaters, and bikers. It’s open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. 151 Civic Center Pkwy., Burnsville; 952-895-4653; www.burnsville.org/skatepark.

Creekview Community Center
A southwest Minneapolis mini-park. 5001 Humboldt Ave. N., Minneapolis, 612-370-4965; www.minneapolisparks.org.

Elliot Park
This humble park has a ramp and a multilevel rail, with downtown views right around the corner. 1000 E. 14th St., Minneapolis, 612-370-4772; www.minneapolisparks.org.

Front Park
You’ll find plenty of places to practice here, with ramps, rails, stairs, and boxes. 485 Stinson St., St. Paul; 651-266-6400.

Maple Grove Skate Plaza
This large outdoor concrete park includes a mini taco, stairs, banks, grind rails, hubba ledges, and a manual pad. 12951 Weaver Lake Rd., Maple Grove, 763-494-6500; maplegrovemn.gov.

Merriam Park Skate Park
Classes and clinics are offered at Merriam Park Community Center. 2000 St. Anthony Ave., St. Paul, 651-298-5766; www.stpaul.gov.

Morris Park and Recreation Center
This small outdoor park features steps, tacos, ramps, and rails at various heights to practice on. 5531 39th Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-370-4934; www.minneapolisparks.org.

Shakopee Skate Park
This large (and relatively new) park offers ramps, quarter pipes, wedges, planters, grind rails, and more, including both high and low practice areas. 1255 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, 952-233-9500; www.shakopeemn.gov.

Other resources:

The Minnesota Inline Skate Club hosts large outdoor and indoor skate excursions. You can find them at www.skateminnesota.org.

For more information on local skate parks designed by and for skaters, check out City of Skate at www.cityofskate.org.

Motocross

Hurricane Hills Sports Center
This track is open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and costs $30 to $40 a vehicle. Onsite camping is also available. 43560 232nd Ave., Mazeppa, 507-843-5154.

Meadow Valley MX
Trails are open every weekend, barring bad weather. Here you’ll find 23 miles of wooded trails open to motorcycles, quads, and side-by-sides. The main track boasts jumps, turns, berms, and soft soil patches. There’s also a peewee track for beginners, and overnight parking is available. Admission is $35 per machine per day ($5 for each additional person riding in the side by side). 29311 Hwy. 60, Millville, 651-345-3591; www.meadowvalleymx.com.

Spring Creek Motocross Park
Also in Millville, Spring Creek hosts a leg of the Pro Nationals each summer. It has tracks for various skill levels, nearby camping, and hosts a variety of events. Admission is $35-$36 per vehicle. 63633 298th Ave., Millville, 507-753-2779; www.springcreekmx.com.

Read

Ten Years Later, Minnesota Nonprofit Flourishes Following Loss Of Daughter

jeffrey.needham — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Ten Years Later, Minnesota Nonprofit Flourishes Following Loss Of Daughter jeffrey.needham Mon, 07/09/2018 - 00:00

To combat the fact that drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death nationwide among children 14 and younger, Minnesota-based nonprofit, Abbey's Hope, has been educating the public and increasing awareness about water safety for going on a decade. This year, the organization also celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (VGB).

Scott and Katey Taylor founded Abbey's Hope in 2008 in honor of their daughter, Abbey, who died as a result of injuries sustained by an improperly maintained pool drain cover. Following her death, the Taylor's began to build awareness and inform others about pool and spa safety.

"Each incident is completely preventable and Abbey's Hope is the perfect platform to remind everyone how to stay safe this swim season," said Scott Taylor, co-founder of Abbey's Hope. "Our daughter's hope was that no child would suffer the way she did, and it's our goal to carry out that mission."

The Taylor family turned their tragedy into inspiration by playing an instrumental role in passing the first ever federal legislation, The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act, that regulates public pools. This year, the VGB Pool & Spa Safety Act celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Signed into law in 2007 by President George Bush, the VGB Act's purpose is to prevent both entrapment and eviscerations by swimming pool and spa drains along with traditional forms of drowning in public swimming pools and spas. This act was in response to Virginia Graeme Baker, the granddaughter of former U.S. Secretary of State, James Baker, who died at the age of seven after becoming entrapped on a spa drain, as well as the death of Abbey Taylor.

Since the effective date of this law, there has not been a single death in a public pool from entrapment. However, incidents like the recent near-death drowning in South Carolina involving a 10-year-old boy submerged under water for nearly nine minutes motivates the Taylor's to use Abbey's Hope as a platform to remind others about the significance of safety in public pools.

Over the past ten years Abbey's Hope has expanded its mission to overall water safety and has contributed more than $290,000 to the YMCA to fund swimming lessons, which have taught more than 13,000 kids to swim. In 2013, Abbey's Hope participated in the Guinness Book of World Records' World's Largest Swim Lesson and conducted the single largest venue event in the Midwest.

Additionally, in 2015, Abbey's Hope brought to light the need for active adult supervision with its popular Water Watchdog Campaign and has distributed more than 20,000 watchdog tags nationwide along with 2,000 posters at aquatic facilities. Abbey's Hope also debuted its award-winning PSA, "No One Is Watching", which has been viewed more than two million times. View the PSA here.

Abbey's Hope founders, Scott and Katey Taylor, received the prestigious National Water Safety Congress Leadership Award, recognizing the foundation's good works in 2013.

About Abbey's Hope:

Abbey's Hope Charitable Foundation is a Minnesota nonprofit organization named after Abbey Taylor, the Edina, Minn. six-year-old who died in 2008 as a result of injuries sustained by an improperly maintained pool drain cover.
The Foundation's goal is to:

Promote awareness of and education related to child safety issues, including educating pool owners, operators, inspectors, and the general public about the dangers of pool entrapment, evisceration and drowning and the need for physical inspections of pool equipment.
Work with the pool and spa industry to improve the design of its products, packaging and warning labels, and assist in the development of product safety standards related to such products.
Identify and provide support and assistance to organizations and programs that help educate parents, children, and pool and spa manufacturers about the prevention of entrapment and traditional forms of drowning.

Find out more about Abbey's Hope at http://www.abbeyshope.org/

Read

2018 Lakefront Music Fest is ready to rock!

jeffrey.needham — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

2018 Lakefront Music Fest is ready to rock! jeffrey.needham Mon, 07/09/2018 - 00:00

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn - Fan's of Prior Lake Rotary’s 2018 Lakefront Music Fest in Prior Lake, MN have a lot to look forward to with this year's big event. The two-day festival featuring one night of rock music and one night of country will be July 13 & 14 at Lakefront Park.

The rock headliner on Friday, July 13 will be Young the Giant who is best known as an American rock band that had their first three singles reach the top five of the U.S. Alternative charts. Country night this year will feature co-headliners Hunter Hayes and Gretchen Wilson, who both stormed the country music scene with huge hits and continue to produce hits fan favorites.

The event was created by the Prior Lake Rotary Club and is proud to have the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) and Mystic Lake Casino Hotel as Exclusive Presenting Partners. The Rotary shares ticket sales from the festival with the following community partners: YMCA of the North, and Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools’: Laker Athletic Booster Club (LABC), Patrons of the Arts and Activities (PAA) and Parents, Teachers and Children (PTC).

Click here for additional details.

Watch

New Minnesota program boosts participation in senior fitness classes

jeffrey.needham — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

New Minnesota program boosts participation in senior fitness classes jeffrey.needham Sat, 07/07/2018 - 00:00

As part of the Juniper program, Gail Johnson, center, led a tai ji quan class adapted for seniors at the Kingsley Commons building in Minneapolis.

As she approaches her 80th birthday, Ardella Cherry knows she needs to keep her body moving and her spirits up if she has any hope of remaining independent. Halfway through an eight-week class to improve balance and fitness she already feels more confident.

“Getting older can be a process where you feel like you’re a hindrance,” Cherry said at her “A Matter of Balance” class, which was held at her senior-housing complex north Minneapolis. “I look at things as an adventure. Try to have fun.”
Minnesota’s aging agencies have spent the past decade trying to get more people to attend healthy-aging classes, which research shows can be a low-cost and effective way to teach those with chronic diseases or at risk of falls how to improve their health. But it has been a slow and frustrating process at times, fraught with poor participation and canceled classes.

In the face of a rapidly aging population, a new statewide initiative known as Juniper aims to exponentially boost participation in the classes by taking an obvious but unusual tact: getting doctors and insurance companies involved.

“Part of the problem with our health care system is that for so long patients have treated their doctor as all-knowing,” said Dr. Sara Lindquist, a board-certified internist and geriatrician and Juniper’s director of health care integration. “If we can help patients be more proactive in caring for themselves instead of putting all their care in the hands of physicians who they see only once a year or every six months, it can potentially be a transformative cultural shift.”

Juniper — a reference to the evergreen shrub known for its long life and interconnected root structure — relies on the state’s seven Area Agencies on Aging plus the Chippewa Tribe. Rather than working independently to serve their regions, Juniper aims to unify their efforts and build upon the organizations’ established relationships with nonprofits and community-service organizations.

A three-year, $3 million grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies helped build a website, YourJuniper.org, which makes it easier for the public to register for classes and for health care providers to refer their patients. It also allows Juniper to accept contracts from health insurers or employers.

The idea behind Juniper is to organize and standardize what now is an informal and haphazard smattering of wellness classes, whether at the local YMCA or a church basement.

“These programs have been around for decades,” said Georgia Lane, the senior planner and developer at the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging based in Duluth. “What hasn’t been around is a way to link them. They pop up at community centers or different faith communities, and live only as long as one person stays enthused. Juniper allows for a sustained delivery network and improves medical outcomes. It’s a unique value.”

From the start, participation in Juniper’s evidence-based programs exceeded expectations. The original goal was to have 2,000 people enrolled over the first three years. More than 1,700 Minnesotans completed a class in 2015, the inaugural year, according to the Metropolitan Area Association on Aging, which is spearheading the project.

Since then more than 6,500 people have attended programs that run for six to 12 weeks and often include a mixture of discussion and strength-building exercises, such as tai ji quan, a form of tai chi adapted for seniors and others with physical limitations to prevent falls.

This year, 580 classes will be offered under the Juniper umbrella, serving 5,200 people.

“We’re just starting to scratch the surface,” said David Fink, program developer for the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging, who also trains workshop leaders around the Twin Cities. “To really impact the overall culture of wellness of our state, we have to make it a lot easier for a lot more people to find classes, get to classes and understand why they’re useful.”

Public health officials have long known that social, economic and behavioral factors are tied to poor health. But with a shortage of geriatricians and financial pressure to avoid preventable hospital readmissions, the medical community is eager find ways to lower costs and improve health.

A fall that causes a significant fracture can cost $34,000, and often precipitates a downward health spiral. About a quarter of patients will stay in a nursing home for at least a year after the fall, and one in four people who fracture a hip will die within a year. Minnesota has the third-highest death rate for falls in the U.S., nearly twice the national average, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

“The challenge we have as a community and an aging population is that the intervention for remaining independent is based on such things as preventing injuries, preventing falls — interventions that are not classic medical acute care,” said Dr. Thomas von Sternberg, associate medical director of geriatrics, home care and hospice at HealthPartners, which has joined the Juniper network. “They are more long-term behavioral and attitudinal.”

With research showing that patients are 18 percent more likely to attend classes if a physician recommends it, von Sternberg said it makes good medical sense and business sense to make Juniper’s resources a routine part of every primary-care visit.

“The secret sauce is, can you get people to keep doing the program, to keep showing up, doing it at home, and normalizing exercise and balance — like brushing your teeth,” he said. “That’s our challenge. It’s not like taking a pill. It takes a conscious decision to do your activities differently. We need a partner like Juniper in that.”

On the insurance side, HealthPartners has set up a billing and claims system so that Juniper is reimbursed like any other provider of services.

“What’s nice about Juniper is it’s the main connector of all partner programs,” said Nancy Hoyt Taff, HealthPartners’ public health program manager for government programs. “You can find them yourself or our member services coordinator can help. It’s an easier shopping experience if you will.”

Kari Benson, executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging, said the Juniper model has the potential to bring smaller service providers, which are not as well funded, into the fold.

“It will help the local organizations continue to do what they’re doing and not get bogged down in administrative pieces,” she said, “and it leaves room for local community flexibility and uniqueness.”

Dawn Simonson, executive director of the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging, is working to make Juniper self-sufficient. Now that the website and technology backbone are in place, the focus will shift to expanding the number of class locations and in building more nontraditional partnerships.

“Health care organizations are getting to know us in a new way,” she said. “We’re building on what’s already out there, and we’re building a brand that many kinds of organizations can work under.”

Read