Only a few days after Healthy Kids Weekend was under its belt, Activate Buffalo County was right back to promoting active transportation. May is National Bike Month, and with Bike to School Day and Bike to Work Week on the calendar, Activate Buffalo County still has a full plate of Unplug activities! On May 7th and 8th, Safe Routes to School Coordinator Kate Hannon, along with volunteers from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, helped students at Northeast and Park Elementary schools celebrate Bike to School Day. “The best part of Bike to School Day was seeing the children’s faces when they got their stickers and seeing how accomplished they felt, not just because they got a reward, but because they enjoyed biking to school. “It really was a big deal for them, and those types of moments are what we hope will promote lasting change. Creating awareness and increasing safety are goals we are working towards so this isn’t one day a semester. It could be happening multiple times a week,” Kate said.

And don’t forget about Bike to Work Week, May 12-16. While there may not be stickers and prizes for adults, this national event is the perfect motivation to tune up your two-wheeler and get a workout on the way to work! Studies show even light physical activity

in the morning leads to a more productive and energetic day, so take the week to try it out and see how riding to work makes you feel. Maybe it will be the morning boost you’ve been looking for! In addition to Bike to School and Bike to Work activities, Activate Buffalo County is promoting the National Bike Challenge as part of Bike Month. Riders from across the nation are invited to join local teams and help the League of American Bicyclists reach its goal of 30 million miles ridden

over the course of the challenge. Participants can win prizes based on miles logged, and track colaries burned over the course of the challenge. There’s plenty of room on the Activate Buffalo County team, so check out activatebuffalocounty.com/nbc to join.

May 2014 Bike to School Day PhotoVoice Reception YAB Graduates

Activate Buffalo County Unplugs for National Bike Month

Students at Northeast Elementary who walked or biked to school wait to sign the “Who Walked” poster and be entered to win a prize for choosing physical activity.

Buffalo County Community Partners Contact Information

Visit bcchp.org/board for complete board member listing or bcchp.org/contact for complete staff listing and contact form.

General Information308-865-2284 info@bcchp.org

Denise Zwiener, Executive Director 308-865-2280 dzwiener@bcchp.org

Lisa Reese Parish, Board Chair308-237-6840lparish@uwka.org

Holden & Shawnee ArmstrongAriane AtenBeth Baxter & Kent MagnusonRichard & Barbara BeechnerContryman & Associates P.C.Fritson Psychological ServicesKay Horner

Ihle ChiropracticJoel & Jill JohnsonKearney ClinicRichard & Terry KrohnRegion 3 Behavioral Health ServicesRoger & April RoggaschJon & Erin Watts

Thank You to Our April Donors: If you would like to partner with us through a financial donation, you may:

Contact Denise Zwiener at 308-865-2280 or dzwiener@bcchp.org

Donate on our website, bcchp.org, by clicking the blue “Donate” button.

Congratulations, YAB Graduates!

Dominic AbbotAmherst High School

Aaron BisbeeGibbon High School

Paxton FlessnerRavenna High School

Maranda KegleyAmherst High School

Zachary OliverShelton High School

Anna OuradaElm Creek High School

Robbie PotthoffKearney High School

Louden RedingerShelton High School

Katie SchambachRavenna High School

Sarah TeichmeierRavenna High School

Bryan WietjesAmherst High School

PhotoVoice Reception June 17 at Merryman Performing Arts CenterAfter completing both a winter and spring PhotoVoice session, Community Partners will be hosting a reception to showcase participants’ work at the Merryman Performing Arts Center on June 17, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Youth Coordinator Mark Foradori, who oversees the PhotoVoice program, said, “Exchanging ideas is what PhotoVoice is all about, and the reception will give participants a chance to share their artwork and ideas with members of the community. They’ve been building on these ideas for six weeks, and now they have a chance to voice these ideas to the public.” PhotoVoice participants met for six sessions,

during which they had the opportunity to talk with local policy makers to exchange ideas. In between meetings, the participants took photographs inspired by the discussion that reflected their own lives and their unique viewpoints. At the end of the program, each participant selected favorite works to be framed and displayed at the reception. Join us for food and fun as the PhotoVoice participants share their work and ideas with the community.

Cruise Nite is a wonderful event for our community, and it has been enjoyed by countless community members and visitors over the years. However, along with the attractions the event brings, it also comes with many challenges for our community. These challenges include all-day drinking activities that carry over into large, crowded yard parties after the day’s events. These parties have created room for violence, injury, and other misconduct happening in front of homes and on the streets and sidewalks. Each year, the events that take place after Cruise Nite ends garner more attention than the event itself, as things grow more and more concerning. With these issues in mind, Positive Pressure, in conjunction with Century 21 Property Manager Alexis McNeal and Kearney Chief of Police Dan Lynch, sent a letter to all landlords, property managers, and homeowners with properties along 25th Street. Included in the letter was an invitation to a collaborative meeting aimed at bringing everyone together to work towards a solution and reduce the damaging effects of Cruise Nite afterparties on property and on the community. The meeting proved to be a success, with many interested landlords, property managers, and homeowners in

attendance, along with law enforcement and Cruise Nite representatives. Many great ideas and possible solutions were generated. The group plans to meet again for a more in-depth meeting to discuss the issues and possible solutions, and to extend an invitation to property managers and homeowners from 23rd, 24th, and 26th Streets. We look forward to sharing some of the ways we plan to reduce the negative effects of the parties and large crowds that gather after Cruise Nite has ended. In addition, Community Partners wants to extend a huge thank you to everyone who participated and is interested in taking a stand to make Cruise Nite a better night!

Positive Pressure Meeting with Landlords to Discuss Cruise Nite

From the Winter 2014 PhotoVoice session. “Building is like building life, one step at a time.”

Training in Intervention ProcedureS is a responsible beverage server training approved by the Nebraska

Liquor Control Commission. Contact positivepressure@bcchp.org to register.

Check bcchp.org/tips for future classes.

Have you signed up to help with the new HelpCare clinic? Contact Kathy Gosch at kathygosch@catholichealth.net.

Coalition Connection

PO Box 1466Kearney, NE 68848

We hope you’re reading the printed version of this newsletter because it’s ScreenFree Week! Turn off those TVs and tablets and unplug!

We’re excited to announce we have a new coalition coordinator: Terry Dunlop. We’re looking forward to introducing him in next month’s newsletter.

It’s never too early to prepare for college. YAB’s Show Me The Money: Scholarship and Financial Aid Workshop is scheduled

for September 28. For information, call Mark Foradori at 308-865-2290.

If you are a landlord, property manager, or homeowner on 23rd - 26th St. and want to be involved with post-Cruise Nite pvvlanning, contact Tana Nelsen at positivepressure@bcchp.org.

Buffalo County providers are working together to integrate care between primary care and behavioral health. Check back in future issues to learn more.

We’re focusing on implementing school and community-based programs to help children succeed academically and socially in the coming school year. For information on how you can take part in this effort, call Mark Foradori at 308-865-2290.

Last legislative session, Senator Howard used Buffalo County Health Policy Team work to frame the importance of community health workers. Learn about our efforts at bcchp.org/chw.

We would like to thank Good Samaritan Hospital for providing printing and mailing services for our newsletter.

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