Browerville Blade - 02/18/2010 - Page 1

Thursday, February 18, 2010
Volume 97; Number 36

www.bladepublishing.net
A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560

75¢
County’s
Local and regional science fair winners
Initiative
Foundation
Grant will
focus on
needs of
aging
population
Verna Toenyan played an
By Rin Porter
important role in helping
Under the leadership of Round Prairie
Todd County secure a
resident Verna Toenyan and a committee
Initiative Foundation Grant.
of dedicated volunteers, Todd County has
become the recipient of a $10,000 Healthy and tell the stories we think are important.
Communities Partnership (HCP) grant They will work with local media to get a Above: Left to right, 6th Grade Research: Grand Champion: Josiah Cole - The Digestive
from the Initiative Foundation, based in feel for the cities and townships that make System, 5th Grade Experiment: 2nd: Bryce Irsfeld - Left, Right, or Mixed Dominant, 4th Grade
Little Falls. up the county, then strike out on their own. Experiment: 1st: Joe Fink - Rock Polishing
The grant will bring a year of leader- Dan Frank, Initiative Foundation pro-
ship team training and discussion opportu- gram manager for community develop-
nities to county residents to help them ment, said in a telephone interview, “This
plan for the future. The focus of the grant is the first time we’ve selected a project
is on our aging population, and the oppor- that focuses on the aging population. It’s a
tunities and challenges that aging brings big issue. As we look down the road, we
to everyone. need to think about what this will mean for
Todd County was one of four commu- our future. We all have a stake in it.
nities selected to receive the grant and Aging is not always a negative thing. Yes,
training in 2010. Since 1999, HCP has it means having certain services available
helped more than 80 Central Minnesota for people, but it also means identifying
communities to created a shared commu- what older people do particularly well.
nity vision and plan for the future. Everyone needs to have this conversation
The other three communities selected ... so that we can make our communities
for 2010 HCP grants are the City of better.”
Brainerd, the City of Eden Valley, and The first public information meeting
Baldwin Township in Sherburne County. about the grant and the radio stories is
Each has a different approach to its grant. taking place on Feb. 17 at the Browerville
Todd County’s grant funds will be used Community Center. Daylong team train-
to bring Todd County citizens together to ing sessions will be held in March, April,
create a common vision for a future that August, and September 2010. A commu-
will be affected by an aging population nity meeting to report on progress will be
County residents will focus on both assets held one year later, in September 2011.
and challenges, and create a plan to work HOW THE GRANT GOT STARTED
Above: Left to right, 4th Grade Research: Honorable Mention: Hannah Lindquist - Multiple
together for the common good. In a telephone interview, Verna
Sclerosis, Nate Petermeier - Spontaneous Combustion, 4th Grade Research: 2nd: Harrison
In addition, Minnesota Public Radio will Toenyan explained how the grant got sub-
Christensen - Strokes and Heart Attacks. See inside pages for the entire Science Fair group
concentrate radio broadcast attention on mitted. “Last fall,” she said, “we were dis-
and much more students news and photos.
Todd County and three other communities, cussing in Eagle Bend about senior serv-
sending reporters and writers here to find ices, and about the ‘silver tsunami’ that’s coming and how we are not prepared to lems and chronic diseases. The local Services supervisors, and others to get
meet the future.” health care system must prepare to care their opinions about it. She spoke to peo-
The “silver tsunami” is a term coined in for many more people, perhaps in new ple at the Initiative Foundation, and a
Lenders unite to keep 2002 by Mary Finn Maples, Professor of ways. meeting was held in Little Falls to explain
Counseling and Educational Psychology Toenyan, who is the Todd County the process of the HCP. The group decid-
Larson Boat Company at the University of Nevada at Reno. It Coordinator of Aging, said her Eagle ed to go ahead, and prepared the applica-
refers to the Baby Boomer generation – Bend senior discussion group was con- tion for the grant, recruited a team, and
in Little Falls the 76 million people who began celebrat- cerned about the silver tsunami from submitted their application.
ing their 60th birthdays in 2006. many perspectives. In their view, aging The Initiative Foundation HCP grant
One week after the announcement that Brunswick Corp. will close its Crestliner and According to AARP, Maples wrote in a affects everything: children, the work they received is a five-year grant, and will
Triton boat plants, Little Falls residents are receiving some positive news. 2007 article, each day in the U.S., 8,000 force, transportation, health care, educa- prepare the team to work with additional
Four central Minnesota lenders and the Minnesota Department of Employment and people turn 60. tion, and so forth. They felt that Todd funders and do additional projects after
Economic Development (DEED) have approved a financing package to J&D According to research reported by the County was a strong county with out- the first year of training is completed.
Acquisitions in Hopkins to keep the Larson Boat Company’s manufacturing facility Alliance for Aging Research, by the year standing senior services in 2009, but was WHAT THE GRANT WILL ACCOM-
open. 2030, almost one out of every five not looking ahead. PLISH
“Without hesitation I’m overwhelmed by the community support,” said Irwin Jacobs, Americans (72 million people) will be 65 The senior discussion group was inter- Toenyan, Frank, and the leadership
J&D Acquisitions partner. “I’m optimistic about the fact that we’ll be able to grow our years or older. Individual life expectancy ested in applying for a grant, and Toenyan team want as many Todd County citizens
businesses now, but in order to do that we Continued on page 20. is increasing, but an increasing proportion contacted the Todd County Board, County
need the employees’ support by building the of seniors over 65 suffer from health prob- Administrator Nate Burkett, her Social Continued on page 20.
WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Volume 97; Number 36

A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560

WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

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