by Michelle | Nov 29, 2018 | Being Well
By Betsy Bredau
We all find satisfaction being productive, contributing members of our community. For those of us who are retired, our identities and sense of self-worth may have been tightly intertwined with our profession and now that is gone.
Meanwhile, our rural county is blessed with great beauty, but our modest population means that we have an equally modest tax base and not much funding for extra services found in a wealthier, more populous county. Thus, non-profits and volunteer groups fill an important role. Social services, animal shelters, public lands, our hospital, schools and libraries could all use help. Here’s where we seniors come in: we are hard workers, self-disciplined and have old-fashioned common sense. In other words, we are perfect volunteers.
For ideas on how and where to volunteer your time, go to the Tillamook County Giving Guide, at www.tillamookcountypioneer.net and watch for the NEW 2018-19 Giving Guide soon to be in mailboxes throughout the county. Then match against your likes, dislikes, transportation needs, etc. If you try something and don’t like it, try something else until you find the right fit. If nothing appeals to you, or you don’t want to commit or you have no transportation, there is still something you can do. Bring a bag, wear a glove and pick up litter on the street outside your home or on your next walk. Even this small step contributes to a better community.
I chose to volunteer with the Northwest Oregon Restoration Partnership (NORP) nursery, part of the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership (TEP.) The nursery is located adjacent to the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) facility and is a cooperative effort of the TEP and OYA. My job is to weed small plants and plant seedlings. It may not sound like much, but it’s very satisfying to spend a day weeding four hundred native plants that will be used for salmon habitat restoration.
To my surprise, the most rewarding part of my job at the nursery has been working with the young men who become eligible to work there during the last year of their incarceration. For privacy reasons, I can’t disclose details, but it is apparent to me that our tax dollars are being put to sensible and worthwhile use for the rehabilitation of these guys. The staff does an exceptional job providing an environment to steer these young men in the right direction. It has been a powerful and positive experience that I never would have had if not for my volunteer work.
Volunteering is a like a good run on a beautiful day combined with a productive day at work: you have a sense of accomplishment afterwards and a positive outlook. Try it!
by Michelle | Nov 24, 2018 | Move Well
By Laura Swanson
From the beginning of the Tillamook County Wellness efforts, an emphasis has been on simple, easy changes folks can make that will have a positive impact on their overall well-being. Walking and hiking were part of that equation (which also includes making healthier eating choices, like eating more vegetables, improving self-care and drinking more water.)
Tillamook County Wellness has brought multiple partners together and early on identified that increasing and improving our local trails would assist with improving our community’s overall health. Enlisting local residents to help with trail building and maintenance is a win-win-win for everyone!
Through meetings with various local groups, including Tillamook County Wellness, Oregon Coast Visitors Association determined that utilizing funds for a Trailkeepers of Oregon position to support trail development and maintenance would benefit the local communities as well as support tourism efforts.
One of the first work parties occurred at Hoquarton Slough trail on November 3rd, led by Susan Schen of Trailkeepers of Oregon, where volunteers cleared brush on a portion of the trail. The newly formed Tillamook Mid-County Parks and Recreation was approached by the City of Tillamook regarding the need to revitalize the Hoquarton Slough trail, which connects to the newly established Crosstown Connections trail at Goodspeed Park. Board members for the Parks & Rec coordinated a meeting between the Rotary Club, Trailkeepers of Oregon and the City, which resulted in the work party. “This is just one example of how community partners are coming together in unique and creative ways to get things done in Tillamook County,” said Michelle Jenck, Mid-County Parks and Recreation board member.
There are more opportunities to assist with trail building and maintenance throughout Tillamook County.
Trailkeepers of Oregon is also working with the Lower Nehalem Community Trust on new trails at the LNCT’s Elk Meadows property. The first work party was on November 14th. There is another opportunity to assist at Elk Meadows on Wednesday November 28th from 9 am to 1:30 pm. Registration is requested – go to the Trailkeepers Facebook events page, or at https://tinyurl.com/yddeadyr. Elk Meadows is located between Manzanita and Nehalem, down Bayside Gardens Road, off Neptune Way.
Here’s what you can expect if you’d like to try your hand at trail building. Volunteers will help with cutting back brush and carving new tread using loppers, hand saws, and digging tools. There will be some walking on uneven ground and it may get muddy. A mandatory, detailed safety discussion will be held before work begins, and they will teach you all the skills you need to know, so feel free to join them if you’ve never done trail work before! For more information about LNCT’s Elk Meadows trail-building, contact Shane Sjogren, Stewardship Lead at shane@nehalemtrust.org or go to www.nehalemtrust.org.
For more about opportunities with Trailkeepers of Oregon, contact Susan Schen at susan.schen@trailkeepersoforegon.org or www.trailkeepersoforegon.org.
There will continue to be multiple trail-building and trail maintenance projects throughout the area with various groups and agencies, such as the State Department of Forestry and U.S. Forest Service. Tillamook County Wellness will be an information resource to connect community volunteers with these fun and rewarding opportunities. Providing trails and more access for local residents to experience and enjoy the natural beauty of our surroundings is one of the keys to improving community wellness.
by Michelle | Nov 15, 2018 | Archive
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention (HPCDP) section along with the “Place Matters” Awards Committee announced their selection of Tillamook County Wellness for its 2018 Outstanding Organizational Leadership Award. The announcement was made at the annual “Place Matters” conference, held in Portland on October 30th.
According to OHA Health Systems Policy Specialist, Patricia Selinger, this award is given to an individual or organization that has demonstrated outstanding leadership in chronic disease prevention, early detection and self-management in the areas of leadership, building alliances, eliminating disparities and implementing creative, innovative solutions. Special recognition was given to Bill Baertlein, County Commissioner; Marlene Putman, Public Health Administrator, Michelle Jenck, Tillamook County Wellness Coordinator; and Jessica (Dusti) Linnell, Oregon State University Extension Family & Community Health.
In introducing the award, presenter Todd Beran said, “This award celebrates the committed leadership of the Tillamook County Year(s) of Wellness Team to engage the community and improve population health and community livability in Tillamook county.” He went on to state, “This initiative builds relationships among friends, family and co-workers, between organizations and with leadership at the local and state level. They are led by a 22-member task force appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, representing a broad spectrum of county leaders. This coalition focuses on addressing many health challenges in Tillamook County relating to chronic disease prevention.”
Accomplishments highlighted in the award presentation included:
- The community is engaged and kept informed through the tillamookcountyhealthmatters.org website, feature stories in the Tillamook Headlight Herald and Tillamook County Pioneer and local KTIL radio station, as well as through Facebook, featuring classes, events, shared recipes and much more.
- As testimony to its success, Tillamook County Wellness emerged as a brand. Survey results have estimated 85% of residents now recognize this community brand.
- In 2017, when the task force asked, “What could Tillamook County Wellness do to support what was already happening and even enhance it?” The decision was to focus on one community health priority: preventing type 2 diabetes.
- Significant accomplishments of this leadership team include: Addressing tobacco; housing; hiking trails; engaging/creating a coalition of many organizations; and creating a substantial movement that holds great promise for moving Tillamook County forward to become a community where healthy choices are the easy choices.
On Wednesday, November 7, 2018, the award recognition was shared with the Tillamook County Board of Commissioners. “This has been fun” said Commissioner Baertlein. “A lot of what we do in community leadership can be very difficult. While this is a lot of work, it has been very rewarding to convene partners to address these community health challenges in ways that are positive and that bring people together to generate creative solutions.”
Everyone in the leadership team acknowledged that the success of the award really belongs to the community. “The people who live here are the ones making a difference,” said Putman. “We couldn’t do this without our community partners and the support of our residents who are driving the changes that will help them live healthier lives.”
by Michelle | Nov 15, 2018 | Recipes
Recipe Source: Recipe and photo from www.FoodHero.org
Number of servings: 6
Time for preparation (including preparation and cooking): 35 min
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh green beans
1 Tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Snap the ends off the green beans and rinse the beans in water.
- Lay the green beans on a metal baking sheet.
- Drizzle the oil, salt and pepper over the beans. Toss to coat.
- Roast in a 425 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Stir the beans a couple times while roasting.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
by Michelle | Nov 9, 2018 | Why I'm In
The Tillamook County Wellness “Why I’m In” interview series highlights our community partners and what has inspired and motivated them to work toward the common goal of improving community health.
“WHY I’M IN …” Dusti (Jessica) Linnell, Oregon State University Extension, Family & Community Health
What drew you/your organization into the Year of Wellness, now Tillamook County Wellness?
Linnell: I first got involved in the Year of Wellness when I joined the OSU Extension service in 2016. Nancy Kershaw encouraged me to start attending meetings since what was happening with the Year of Wellness was so aligned with my role in supporting family and community health.
I was struck by how many people were involved and how excited they were to be working together The passion of the leaders, and everyone involved, spoke to me. It felt like this was something that could really work and could have a deep impact in supporting the health of everyone in the county.
What, if any, changes have you seen come about as a result of this work?
Linnell: There are so many different things I could talk about. One thing is how many people know about Tillamook County Wellness and how invested people are. From a professional perspective, the level of collaboration I have seen come out of this is really powerful. There is something special about this work and how it has brought people together to make connections in new ways. I hear conversations where someone says, “Hey, I am working on this project. You could really help me. How can we work together on this?” That’s been really huge. I’ve worked in other places where it just isn’t like that.
What have you learned from being involved in this work?
Linnell: I’ve learned that bringing about the kind of change we are talking about is hard work. It takes a lot of effort and diligence to get it right. It’s hard to find all the things that are going to work for everybody.
I’ve also learned there are so many assets we have that we can draw upon. People are willing to give their time and effort, and even sometimes money, to support what we are doing. There are a lot of amazing people in the county who want to do the right thing.
What are your hopes for this work as it relates to you/your organization?
Linnell: My hope for this work as it relates to me personally, is building on the strengths of our community and continuing to create spaces for people to be healthy. I live here and I want to have access to all the healthiest foods and have great places to go and be physically active too.
Professionally, I am excited to get to work with people who seek the same outcomes as I do, people who are dedicated to building and supporting healthy communities. I also hope that, as we achieve these outcomes, we can continue to build on what we have already accomplished. My hope is that this lasts a long time. There will never be a shortage of initiatives we want to work on as a community. I am uplifted by this work and the potential it has for change.
What are your hopes for this work as it relates to changing population health in Tillamook County.
Linnell: Our community is dealing with a lot of really tough issues, with diabetes being one of them. As a chronic disease, diabetes takes a long time to develop. There are things we can do to reduce the risk for this. I just hope we can generate some creative solutions that are really going to work for us. We have a great opportunity to take what we understand about how different things within our community affect our health and come together to develop the solutions that will help improve this in our communities.
My role in the OSU Extension Service is to support the community. I get to be of service here and bring whatever resources I can. I love living here and I want to personally contribute to help make this a success.
