Operation Community Connect

Spreading the word about a community event for anyone who wants to know more about services provided in the Brainerd lakes area.

Saturday, October 22

10am – 2pm

Central Lakes College

Brainerd

Call Mark at Northern Pines with questions 218-839-7812

Operation Community Connect

Free Services:
Free Haircuts

Veterans Services

Mental Health Screening

Public Assistance

Food Support

Housing Options

Health Services

Giveaways

...And Many More!

Community members can access resources from our area agencies and organizations at one location, in a single day!
Co-Sponsored by:

The Crow Wing County Coalition to End Poverty whose members represent various area organizations.

Central Lakes College, an affirmative action equal opportunity educator and employer. ADA Accessible. A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.

An Apple a Day

Stat of the Day:  A healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables helps ward off a large variety of illnesses, including Alzheimer's disease.

Apples are high in antioxidents and help protect neurons in the brain.  Go to Sunrise Senior Living blog to read the full article.  For the Dementia Awareness Forum last Spring at the Central Lakes College in Brainerd, the LAMAA group served a "Memory Cafe" including veggies, like broccoli, fresh fruit, and grape juice.

Another great food choice this fall is pumpkins, squash, and fresh tomatoes. Even better if they've come from your garden or from a friend.

Put down the donuts, french fries, and chips, and grab up your favorite fall fruit.  I think I'll enjoy my afternoon apple with a slice of cheese and a glass of grape juice. 

Cheers!

Art & Alzheimer's

Contemporary Journeys at the Walker Art Center
Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Alzheimer's Association Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter are pleased to offer a unique opportunity for people with memory loss and their care partners. The Contemporary Journeys program offers tours and hands-on art making experiences, called art labs, for people with early or mid-stage dementia and their care partners.

Contemporary Journeys experiences are made available in two ways. Groups can schedule a tour or art lab in advance according to their needs, or individuals with memory loss and their care partner, family member or friend can register for our regularly scheduled Contemporary Journeys morning program. The morning program takes place on the last Wednesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m.

Register at education.resources@walkerart.org or 612.375.7609.

Learn more about Contemporary Journeys >>

See a schedule of monthly experiences >>

Quote of the Day: from The Art Therapy Blog
Without going into the details of all the possibilities, let’s just say that art therapy can benefit a wide-spectrum of disorders, diseases, and disabilities.

Art therapy can help improve various mental and pysical symptoms including, but not limited to, reducing pain, anxiety, and tension. It can be beneficial to those who have mental disorders, severe or light emotional abuse, cancer, post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), people who are bipolar, and a variety of other serious ailments.

Photo by Mary Aalgaard
Art is another language.
A way to communicate without words.

Thanks

Statistic of the Day:  September is World Alzheimer's month.

The Brainerd area Walk to End Alzheimer's Committee would like to thank the following businesses for contributing to our local walk:

The Walk committee would like to thank the sponsors, generous organizations and individuals for their donations or service, refreshments, entertainment, raffle items, time and more. This is what we have thus far…

• Alzheimer’s Association

• Bailey Wachholz

• BL Broadcasting

• Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce

• Brainerd VFW

• Breath of Life

• Care Free Living

• Cash Wise

• Christmas Point

• Chuck Whalen

• City of Brainerd

• Cold Stone

• Crossing Arts Alliance

• Cub Foods

• Cuyuna Regional Medical Center

• Deborah Schey Salon

• Diane Gaite

• Diamond Willow Assisted Living

• Edgewood Vista

• Essentia Health

• Geraet’s family

• Good Samaritan Society

• Grand Casino

• Heartwood

• Home Instead

• Karen Ford

• Karon Newmann

• Kenneth Hegstrom Family

• Lake Country Journal

• Lakeland TV

• Lakewood Health System

• Petal & Beans

• Shaefer’s

• Teen Challenge

• The Dispatch

• Tess Taylor

• Viking Beverage

• Virginia Busho

• Wendy’s/Caribbean Beach Tanning

You all made this possible!

Photo by Joey Halvorson

Photo by Joey Halvorson

Photo by Joey Halvorson

Photo by Mary Aalgaard

Salute to you and the community!

Walk to End Alzheimer's 2011

Statistic of the Day: The Brainerd lakes area Walk to End Alzheimer's raised over $72,000 for the cause.

Ken Thomas and his family, honoring their father who passed away earlier this year from Alzheimer's.

Walking together, walking with their community, raising funds and awareness for a disease that comes like a thief in the night, stealing bits and pieces of our loved ones.

Let's stop that thief, one step at a time!

This is what it means to be community. Coming together to share our stories, our sorrows, and our hope for tomorrow.

Ken Thomas's father and Duane had worked together. Ken showed Duane a book that sparked memories for Duane, who has Alzheimer's disease.

Saturday morning, Sept. 24, was a gorgeous morning for a walk.  A large crowd gathered at the Kiwanis Park in Brainerd for the 2011 Walk to End Alzheimer's.  The air was cool and crisp. The sun was shining brightly, and the leaves were just starting to turn. The young and the old, those on wheels and on foot moved as one around the park, along the Mississippi River, through the woods, and over the freshly fallen leaves.

Thank you, Pam & Bailey Wachholz for all your hard work to make this walk so successful!

Thank you, Tess Taylor from WJJY for being our MC!

Walk on!

Wear Purple with Pride!

Photos and story by Mary Aalgaard.  Thanks Joey Halvorson, for taking pictures of the walk! I'll add some of her photos and updates from the walk later this week.

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Quote of the Day:  Researchers report that Alzheimer's disease shares many of the same risk factors as heart disease and stroke:  high blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and body weight.
Findings indicate a healthy diet and regular exercise are good for both your heart and your head.  Staying mentally and socially active also may give your brain a boost.
from The Alzheimer's Association booklet, What's being done about Alzheimer's?

One thing that's being done about Alzheimer's and related illnesses is The Walk to End Alzheimer's. We will have the walk in Brainerd, starting at the Kiwanis Park, on Saturday, Sept. 24.  Registration starts at 9:00 a.m. Click here to register or donate. Join a team, walk as an individual, or start your own team.

In the meantime, look for all the purple around town in support of Alzheimer's research, the walk, and those we love who are afflicted.

Here's a video clip for Wrapping the town in Purple.

Question: Do you know someone who has Alzheimer's disease or dementia?

Remember This

A book review by Mary Aalgaard

Statistic of the Day:  Alzheimer's disease was first identified more than 100 years ago, but research into its symptons, causes, risk factors, and treatment has only gained momentum in the last 30 years. The cause is still unknown. from the Alzheimer's Association website.

Remember This by Susan Thompson Underdahl is a novel about a 17-year-old girl, Lucy, experiencing the usual teenage angst in small town America.  She has normal teenage girl experiences and problems - a cheerleading tryout that ends in disaster, misunderstandings with girlfriends, and conflicted feelings about a boy who shows interest in her.  She also has experiences and problems that extend beyond her age group.  Her grandma seems to be experiencing memory loss. As the family discusses what to do about Grandma, they invite her to live in their house, in Lucy's room, and everyone tries to find a new normal just as everything seems out of their control. 

Lucy is an interesting and lovable main character, with some flaws, but ones that make her real and accessible.  The setting is Williston, ND, the author's home town, but it could be any small town in America.  Susan Thompson Underdahl writes a story that touches on issues relevant to teens and multi-generational living.

I recommend this book to anyone from early teens on up. Click here to read more about Susan and her books.