Bob-A-Loo – $7700
Fiscal agent HUTAN will coordinate Bob-A-Loo, a program based on Animals, Imagination, and the Path Toward Early Childhood Health at Dexter Cooperative Pre-School, as an extension of successful programming in Chelsea. The target population for the movement-based learning program is children 3-5 years of age. Bob-a-loo addresses early childhood health issues and involves fundamental locomotor skills, nutritional coaching and imaginative play through the mimicry of animal behavior with a focus on various components of movement vital to childhood development. Funding will make this critical childhood intervention a self-sustaining program with the ability to reach hundreds of children in following years.
Healthy Path outdoor event – $1600
Bob-a-loo, the Dexter Farmers Market, and the Dexter District Library are collaborating to bring a special healthy event to preschool aged children and their families. This two-hour outdoor event begins with 30 minutes of Bob-a-loo near the library, followed by coloring and assembling animal masks (fruit and veggie eating animals), handing out farmers market gift cards to the first registered 50 preschoolers, followed by galloping over to the market (animal style). The vendors will display animal signs at their stands so that children can find the fruits and vegetables they, and their animal eats, to stay healthy. Done in scavenger hunt style, children will have a map to follow to discover healthy foods. After finding and learning about the healthy foods at the farmers market, families will return to the library and if they choose, check out one of the many books on display about animals, activity and healthy foods.
Support for Dexter Senior Center $10,000 –
Over the years, the Dexter Wellness coalition has wanted to connect with the local senior population in new and creative ways. For year 9, Dexter Senior Center is seeking support for strategic planning. The outcome will be a plan to improve operations of the center to increase membership and program offerings to the greater Dexter senior community.
Dexter Farm to School – $25,000 –
Now in its 10th year, The Farm to School and School Garden interventions are community wellness interventions focused on the Dexter Community School district. The intervention features more opportunity to consume healthier foods through monthly fresh local additions to lunch offerings, trying new foods in a positive environment and fostering greater appreciation for the work that goes into producing this food. Its 3 action items include: (1) HEALTHY EATING: Eating more fruits and veggies; (2) EDUCATION: Teaching students about where food comes from and how to grow food. and (3) ENGAGEMENT: Continuing community relationships for sustainability.
Mindful Dexter was formed in 2018 to help the Dexter Wellness Coalition expand its offerings of mental wellness opportunities. We currently offer twice-monthly drop-in meditation sessions, plus special events throughout the year such as guided outdoor mindfulness walks, mindful eating classes, etc.—all with the goal of enabling anyone in the Dexter area (and beyond!) to practice mindfulness meditation in a group setting at no cost. For Plan Year 9, we plan to expand our offerings to include an additional practice each month, bringing our ongoing opportunities to 3+ times per month. Sessions are 30-60 minutes in length, open to anyone ~12 or older, and currently held on Zoom or outdoors due to the pandemic. Once the pandemic eases, we hope to resume hosting at least some of our sessions at the Dexter Wellness Center and the Dexter District Library, as we have done in previous years. Sessions are guided by leaders who are current employees of the Dexter Wellness Center and are experienced and certified in both meditation and facilitation. Elements of each session include guided meditation, silent meditation, and discussion/idea-sharing around a secular mindfulness topic.
STRIVE- $1400 –
The STRIVE Health and Fitness Intervention is designed to be a component of the Dexter Rotary STRIVE “project.” The intervention targets graduates of the DHS Alternative Education program who have been selected for STRIVE academic and mentorship scholarships. The STRIVE Health and Fitness Intervention facilitates as an extension of the current DHS Alt Ed Fitness Intervention by providing a continuum of health education and training regime to Alt Ed graduates as they pursue their post high school education or vocational training. The overall objective of this proposal is to expose these “at risk” students to better fitness practices and provide them with a baseline of health and wellness knowledge. The Plan Year 9 grant will fund two of the planned three students.
DEXTER FORUM
This community group meets bi-monthly at the Dexter Wellness Center to share information about topics of importance in the local community and at the state level.
Dexter Winter Marketplace – $4680
After moving to Dexter United Methodist Church in year 8, the winter marketplace continues to grow and provide healthy, local foods to all residents from Dexter and the surrounding areas in the fall and winter months when outdoor farmers’ markets aren’t open. This intervention provides a warm and welcoming place for residents to socialize, move around, enjoy free beverages, listen to and dance to live music, and support local growers and artisans. Many seniors and others visit our market in the winter when they don’t normally go outside during the cold weather.
5H MARKETING
A budget allocation will support ongoing marketing needs for all Dexter Wellness Coalition initiatives, to improve our visibility in the community.
Funding Request: $2110
Ballet Chelsea’s Adaptive Dance Program provides movement classes for people of all ages with a wide range of physical, mental and cognitive disabilities. The classes have different goals depending upon the age of the participants, but these goals may include building strength, reducing stress, developing better balance and coordination, encouragement of teamwork and more self-confidence. All classes involve movement to fun and age- appropriate music.
The PEAC Summer Cycling Program empowers individuals with disabilities through cycling. The program values including accessibility, inclusivity, and community. The PEAC Summer Cycling Program is open to anyone over the age of 5 years old with an emphasis on individuals with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities. The program works to build personal independence, promote healthy communities, and provide opportunities for using the bike in everyday life for all individuals. For Year 9, PEAC will provide 14 hours of direct instruction to participants.
St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea in collaboration with Dexter Community Schools continues its creative programming to educate school age youth about the prevention of substance abuse and destructive behaviors. The main focus is on alcohol, marijuana and medication use and abuse.
SRSLY What’s Your Anti-Drug – $225 – The What’s Your Anti-Drug media campaign, for students in grades 5-12, is a youth directed contest encouraging students to identify things in their lives that provide alternatives to drugs and encourage healthy decision making. Students create graphic art posters, videos, poetry, songs, and winners receive a gift card and mention in the local media.
SRSLY Sticker Shock – $300 – Project Sticker Shock is a public awareness campaign designed to increase knowledge of laws against furnishing minors with alcohol and deter adults from doing so. SRSLY Dexter conducts Project Sticker Shock every year in the weeks leading up to Dexter High School’s Homecoming or Prom. The school dances were identified by youth as a time parents and older friends or siblings might be more likely to buy alcohol for underage youth and allow them to drink on their property. Project Sticker Shock is regarded as one of the most effective initiatives lead by the coalition because of its broad reach and community support.
SRSLY Positive Social Norm Campaign – $950 – Positive Social Norms posters and banners use data from the Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth (MI-PHY) survey to show kids and parents that most Dexter youth do not abuse alcohol, marijuana, or prescription drugs. Posters are displayed at schools, the library, city offices, and local businesses. Information is also printed on brochures and flyers and are distributed at local businesses and organizations throughout the community. Additionally, partnering with Project Success, once a month we will go into Mill Creek and Dexter High School to distribute PSN information. Units of Engagement: 7030
SRSLY Educational Mailer Campaign – $2850 – SRSLY’s Educational Mailer is the opportunity to educate the broad community on current hot topic information. The educational mailer is mailed to every home within the school district, targeting both youth and adults. Past topics have included harmful effects of marijuana on youth, consequences of allowing teens to drink, and positive social norms. Mass media campaigns that increase adult awareness of underage drinking and its consequences are a suggested strategy to reduce underage drinking and excessive drinking among youth. Units of Engagement: 1570
SRSLY Leadership Program- $500 – Our SRSLY Leadership program follows the curriculum of Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES). YES is an evidence-based curriculum based on the theory of youth empowerment and community engagement. YES was developed at the Prevention Research Center at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. The project encourages partnership between youth and their community. School-based tobacco prevention skill-building programs teach students personal and social skills to help avoid tobacco use, such as problem solving, decision making, and coping methods for stress; techniques to improve self-esteem, self-control, and assertiveness; and methods to resist personal or media influences (Cochrane-Thomas 2015).
Captain SRSLY – $2500 – Jerzy Drozd and Aaron Polk are local comic book artists who lead a comic book workshop, where over 8 weeks participants learn how to draw comics and create a story line. After the workshop, the participant’s comics are combined into an anthology under the CPTN SRSLY name and printed for distribution at the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival. This workshop engages youth in an activity that empowers them, while teaching them the value of art, reading, and community involvement.
SRSLY Magic Gathering Tournament – $400 – Magic the Gathering Tournaments are held each month at the Dexter District Library. A SRSLY Dexter member who wanted a space for youth to play Magic and hang out with their peers leads the tournaments. These tournaments provide youth, with similar hobbies, an opportunity to connect with others they may not otherwise meet, while also connecting with community resources.
SRSLY Duct Tape Extravaganza – $275 – Duct Tape Extravaganza takes place at Mill Creek Middle School. It is an event where youth participant in groups or individually to create a clothing item, art piece, or accessories/object using duct tape. Those who participate are given a duct tape kit and a few weeks to complete their item. Judging takes place during lunch at Mill Creek, involving the entire school. This event allows students to channel their creative side, connect with other students while making their item and during the voting process, and brings the entire student body together to celebrate and share. This growth of this event may lead to it becoming an after school event, engaging the wider community.
Helping Hands Local Farming Youth Development – $2310
In collaboration with White Lotus Farms and Michigan State University, SRSLY Dexter will provide a series of summer healthy eating farm workshops that enhance pro-social community ties. Our target population will be youth who live in Washtenaw County. We will have one teen summer group who will meet every week to grow a “pizza garden”. They will learn about soil, food production, organic farming, composting, weather patterns, how to grow food from seed, and techniques to improve soil health such as biochar. They will create, till and grow a pizza garden and at the end of the summer they will hold a pizza party celebrating their summer work with food they have grown. In addition to the Teen Pizza Garden Workshop, there will be summer workshops held twice a week for youth ages 9-12 and 13-17.