March 2012 Highlights « Back

Fuel Up to Play 60 in Minnesota

We’ve reached out to 519 supporters and advisors engaged with Fuel Up to Play 60 in Minnesota, letting them know they can earn a chance to participate in our Training Day at the Mall of America Field on April 23.  Thirty schools can send five student leaders and two adults to attend the event at the Metrodome!  The purpose of the Training Day is to celebrate successes, exchange ideas and energize students and adult leaders. It will include on-field activities, interactive education, brainstorm sessions for students and program advisors, and a healthy lunch! Viktor and Vikings players will lead student activities and be available for autographs and photos. For more details see the contest rules.

Midwest Dairy staff and the Minnesota Vikings have produced eight Fuel Up to Play 60 video messages delivered by Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier. The messages are directed at specific audiences, including our 2012 Training Day attendees, corporate sponsors, dietitians and students. These will be available to schools to play during morning messages or at special events, and for corporate recruitment efforts. You can view one of the messages here. 

Midwest Dairy participated in a Minnesota Dept. of Education workshop on the Healthier US School Challenge last month.  We shared information on Fuel Up to Play 60 and how it supports this effort.

Lisa McCann, who serves on Midwest Dairy’s Health and Wellness team in Minnesota, also was part of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals Association Annual Meeting recently.  She presented a workshop with partners from Action for Healthy Kids, the Dept. of Education, and Allina Hospitals and Clinics.  The session included an overview of Fuel Up to Play 60 focusing on student involvement and success stories.

Later, Midwest Dairy helped to host webinars for 15 schools who are recipients of a mini grant offered through Minnesota Action for Healthy Kids.  The schools are receiving $1,000 grants to implement strategies supporting their school wellness plan.

Other Minnesota Updates

The dairy producer spokesperson training mentioned above included a number of people from Minnesota.  Participants were:
Mike Reps, Mantorville;
Connie Meyer, Rollingstone;
Shannon Seifert, Sleepy Eye;
Jeanette Sheehan, Rochester; and
Mike and Margaret Johnson, Fountain.

We also had a number of Minnesota participants in the recent Dairy Farm Mom Network training held in Kansas City (mentioned above).  They were:
Becky Bode, Gibbon;
Janet Bremer, Hastings;
Karen Kasper, Owatonna;
Joan Lee, McIntosh;.
Marianne Peterson, Pine City;
Tina Vinkemeier, Norwood-Young America; and
Donna Westman, Rush City.

The Minnesota Farmers Feed US coalition has begun its series of “foodie newsletters” as a follow up to the 10,000 consumers who opted in to receive more information during the last year and a half of website registrations in the campaign sweepstakes. The newsletter will release monthly and each commodity group will be able to take a lead role in articles or offers for the newsletter. Some of Midwest Dairy’s photography is being used, and the link on the left hand side takes people to dairymakessense.com. You can click on this link to view the newsletter.