by Michelle | Aug 24, 2018 | Archive
Magic in the Air at SOS Tillamook Fair Booth – Tillamook Residents Talk about the Future
By Laura Swanson, for SOS Tillamook, Tillamook Family Counseling Center Prevention Program
There was “magic in the air” at the SOS Tillamook fair booth – with a fortune-telling flair. Tillamook County Prevention program manager, DeAnna Pearl, utilizes the SOS Tillamook fair booth to engage the community in conversations. The free fortune cookies were a big hit with messaging about problem gambling, buzzed drinking, suicide and helpline resource numbers which were put into many fair-goers pockets. “We overheard many thoughtful conversations among families,” said Pearl. Fortune Cookie comments and conversations included:
- “I see drinking in my future.” After you’re 21 right? “Maybe…. “If you don’t, I will kick your butt!”
- “Setting limits will limit losses.” Yeah grandma!!
- 11 yr boy: “Suicide? I won’t suicide!” [Adult] “Maybe save this for someone who might.” [Puts fortune in pocket]
- “They all can lead to this, [suicide] if we don’t work on all of them.”
- Do you know how to talk to a vet about suicide? Boy (7): “What is this for [holding up fortune]? Mom: “This is when somebody needs help when they are really sad.” [Walking and bending down while walking down hallway]
- “I need a fortune!” [Opens cookie] “Oh, that is cool. Good to know!”
- ”Nice booth!”
- Parents talking to their kids about the messages in the fortune cookie.
- Teens pocketing the fortune, saving on their phone
- Asked clean-up crew about fortune papers on ground/floor, reports that they haven’t seen any!
There were many requests for “fortune telling” but the table was turned, and the idea was for Tillamook County residents to tell us the fortune (or future) for the place they call home. “What would you like to see in Tillamook County’s future?” Hundreds provided their predictions of what might be in Tillamook County’s future. The suggestions included: a motocross track, a waterpark at the Y, more trails and finishing the sidewalks, as well as indoor spaces for kids, more help for kids dealing with bullies, keeping the feeling of Tillamook “Tillamook”, and conversations about housing, traffic and roads. Many thoughtful ideas were placed on the sticky wall in the SOS Tillamook booth. The ideas for the future of Tillamook County came from all ages – from 10 to 85+ … “Wow, how do I pick one? They all impact each other and can lead to….[points to Suicide].”
Then there are the stories – from the veterans, a combat medic and police officer, from those in recovery, that had experienced homelessness, the trauma of addiction, and many “thank yous” for all you do. “Holding space for the community to talk about these important topics is our mission,” said Pearl. “There is a great desire and need to talk about these subjects, and to learn about how we as a community can deal with the impacts of drugs, alcohol, mental health issues, suicide and more. No one is immune to the impacts.” The magic of prevention empowers people with knowledge and information about the negative impacts, and “Prevention” is about negating these problems (the Magic) later.
SOS Tillamook’s Community Conversations are held on the third Thursday of most months. On September 20th, during Suicide Awareness month, there will be a movie showing of “The Ripple Effect” at the Tillamook County Main Library at 5:30 pm. Sponsored by Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization. The film highlights the journey of Kevin Hines, who at age 19, attempted to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. Today Kevin is a world-renowned mental health advocate, motivational speaker and author who travels the globe spreading a message of hope, recovery and wellness. The film chronicles Kevin’s personal journey and the ripple effect it has on those who have been impacted by his suicide attempt and his life’s work since. In addition, the film highlights the stories of individuals and families who are utilizing their personal tragedy to bring hope and healing to others.
Registration for this event opens August 27th, please RSVP https://ripple-effect-tillamook.eventbrite.com. Watch for more information about more showings of “The Ripple Effect” throughout Tillamook County in the coming months, as well as a QPR Suicide Prevention training.
SOS Tillamook’s mission is to Support, Overcome, and Strengthen Tillamook County:
Support: Support Tillamook County residents in finding ways to engage the community into finding health and wellness.
Overcome: Work with partners to help address and overcome barriers in finding health and wellness.
Strengthen: Strengthen resiliency in Tillamook County residents by supporting continued living in health and wellness.
For more information, go to www.sostillamook.org, the SOS Tillamook Facebook page, or contact DeAnna Pearl at 503-842-8201.
by Michelle | Aug 24, 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 1⁄2 cups whole grain pasta (try shells, elbow, or bow tie)
1 Tablespoon margarine or butter
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
1 can (5 ounces) canned salmon, drained (about 1/2 cup cooked fresh salmon)
2 small tomatoes, chopped
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, then set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat (300 degrees in an electric skillet). Add onion and cook until tender.
- Add cooked pasta, salmon, tomato, lemon juice, parsley and salt. Cook until heated through.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
by Michelle | Aug 16, 2018 | Recipes
Recipe Source: Recipe and photo from www.FoodHero.org
Number of servings: 4
Time for preparation (including preparation and cooking): 10 min
Ingredients:
2 cups cubed watermelon, seeds removed
1⁄2 lime
1⁄4 teaspoon chili powder (or more to taste)
1⁄4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Directions
- In a serving bowl, squeeze lime juice over watermelon cubes.
- Sprinkle with chili powder and salt if using. Enjoy!
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
Try with a mix of fruit and veggies such as other melons, pineapple, cucumber, mango and more. Spice mixes are available that combine lime and chili powder.
by Michelle | Aug 16, 2018 | Move Well
Tillamook County Wellness invites you to join us for a group hike, Sunday, August 19th at 4 pm. Our Step It Up walking groups will be hiking at Nehalem Bay State Park, located just north of the city of Nehalem. There is no charge for this event.
A beautifully maintained natural area along Nehalem Bay, this family friendly park offers a tranquil space to enjoy the outdoors. The 1.8-mile trail is mostly paved, with virtually no elevation, making it a perfect place for people of all ages to walk, jog, or bike and it accommodates strollers and wheelchairs. This walk features great views of the beach, bay and lush foliage, truly creating a feeling of adventure – a mini vacation for local residents.
To get there, enter Nehalem Bay State Park at 34600 Gary Street off Highway 101, between Nehalem and Manzanita. Driving past CART’M, follow signs for the park entrance. Once inside the park, travel down the main road, following signs for the day use/boat ramp area. Before the main parking lot and boat ramp, there will be a cross walk and pull out on the side of the road for parking. This is the marked trailhead, where we will start the hike.
Carpooling is available and encouraged as a State Park pass or day use fee is required. Carpool vehicles are eligible for a free day use park pass. Individual attendees without State Park passes are subject to paying a $5 day use fee. There is a kiosk, located past the trailhead, for purchasing day use fees with a credit card (kiosk does not take cash). Plan to arrive early if you are acquiring a day use permit. Restroom facilities are also available beyond the trailhead, near the boat ramp. For more details and information about carpooling, contact Michelle Jenck at tillamookcountywellness@gmail.com or (503) 812-8354.
Participants are asked to meet in the parking area by 4 pm. Bring water, sunscreen, and appropriate hiking clothes. Visit tillamookliving.com for details about this and other group walking and hiking events.
Coordination for this free event has been funded, in part, by the Knight Cancer Institute, Community Partnership Program. Cancer survivors and their families are especially encouraged to participate.
by Michelle | Mar 14, 2018 | Being Well
By Michelle Jenck, M.Ed., Certified Behavior Change Coach
Every day we hear the results of another study telling us “Eat this, don’t eat that,” or, “Move like this, not like that.” While it is good to learn about adopting healthier behaviors, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Change is hard. Crazy hard. It’s really inconvenient. That’s how we got into this mess in the first place.
It is human nature to take the path of least resistance. It takes time and effort to change the way we live our lives. For most of us, this is where we end up – in a state of knowing we need to do something but not truly believing we are capable of doing it.
Being open to the possibility of changing is key. To be successful, we need to make the changes to our habits small, easy-to-adopt, and even enjoyable. Yes – that’s right. Change can be fun.
It helps to become aware of our habits and begin associating those with how we feel. How do I feel when I eat this and don’t eat that? How much energy do I have for daily activities? If the answers to these questions are not the ones you’d like, then it is probably time to start making some changes.
It is important to explore what is and isn’t working and examine what factors are in play. We tend to look only at the negative – what isn’t working. Looking at our “bright spots” may be a better option. What are we good at? When do we feel energetic? Happy? Fulfilled? How do we use this information to get more of that feeling in our life?
Why we want to make changes is almost as important as what we want to change. The “why” often determines our chances for success. If we are making a change for our spouse or boss, or as a quick fix (think high school reunion), we might not be as emotionally invested as we need to be successful over the long term.
Getting married and having kids are enormous life changes, yet, people make those changes every day. Maybe you want to see your kids or grandkids grow up. Maybe you want to improve your quality of life. Whatever it is, it needs to be meaningful to you.
Work with your strengths and interests when approaching change. If you like to cook, then it makes sense to find healthy recipes you would enjoy making. If you hate cooking, it will be important to simplify nutrition changes so that you can still be successful. Consider choosing the prepared veggie tray and a container of hummus from the grocery store.
This principle is especially important when it comes to physical activity. If you enjoy being outdoors, consider walking or hiking. If you like people, music and dancing, try a group fitness class. If you want something more mindful, try Tai Chi or Yoga. The key is to look for ways to integrate a positive, healthy change with your personality, interests and strengths.
Don’t worry about meeting some “ideal” behavior you saw on Pinterest or Facebook. The important thing is to start somewhere and start with something you like. It might not have to do with nutrition or fitness at all. Maybe you want to learn how to play the piano or knit. If the change is enjoyable and makes you feel better, you will be more likely to try new things later.
Adopting one new health habit successfully, no matter how small, usually leads to another and another. All this eventually opens a door to a much healthier, happier new you. And that’s the kind of change we can all get behind!
