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Anoka County Press Release
For Immediate
Release
Jerry Soma, Anoka County Human Services Division Manager,
763-422-7008 |
April 11, 2008 |
PUBLIC HEALTH AWARDS RECOGNIZE DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT
see photos at end of page
Anoka County commissioners presented five public
health awards at the April 8 county board meeting. The awards
recognize the contributions made by individuals and groups to
improve the health of the community.
The 2008 award winners are: Choose Respect
student group, the Ramsey Lions Club, Brenda Link and Marvin Benson,
and Lyla Pagels.
Choose Respect, a group of Northdale Middle
School students from Coon Rapids, has been raising awareness and
educating others about the issues of dating violence and developing
healthy relationships. Dawn Rutt, Alexandra House, recruited the
students to pilot the national program. Northdale Middle School’s
group grew to over 30 students after an initial meeting. The group
has sponsored many awareness raising activities for students. They
also hosted a parents’ night to encourage parent-child discussions
about healthy relationships. They have participated in Alexandra
House’s Walk for Hope and hosted the Clothesline Project from the
Minnesota Coalition of Battered Women. The Clothesline Project is an
emotional exhibit that displays a t-shirt in honor of each person
killed in Minnesota as a result of domestic abuse in 2006.
“Choose Respect demonstrates the ability of
all committed Anoka County residents, no matter their age, to make
an impact on public health by reducing violence,” said Anoka County
Commissioner Scott LeDoux. “Choose Respect has the
potential to reduce dating violence and significant health problems
often reported by its victims,” said Commissioner LeDoux.
The Ramsey Lions Club sponsors several activities
to support the health and well being of Anoka County residents. The
club funds requests for eye and hearing exams, hearing aids,
glasses, and medical assistance for residents. The club has donated
over $100,000 towards the Children’s Hearing Foundation at the
University of Minnesota and $3,000 to each of several other
organizations supporting hearing or visual services. The Lions have
offered free 55 Alive classes every summer and provided over 100
needy families with holiday food baskets at Easter, Thanksgiving and
Christmas.
“The Ramsey Lions Club’s generosity has been
critical to helping so many people, here in Anoka County and
beyond,” said Anoka County Commissioner Dennis Berg.
Another important activity of the Ramsey Lions
Club is their sponsorship of the Lions District 5M7 Wellness Van.
The club includes the van in its annual June picnic so residents can
be tested for health problems. They also have sponsored van visits
to local high schools so students can be screened, as well as
adults.
The Lions Wellness Van became a reality in Anoka
County due to the efforts of past 5M7 Lions District Governor Marvin
Benson, now deceased. He approached the Lion’s Club International
Foundation in 1989 with the vision of bringing a mobile clinic to
residents of Anoka County. Club 5M7 was granted $50,000 from LCIF to
help purchase and equip a 32-foot motor home with state of the art
medical testing apparatus and supplies. An additional $80,000 was
contributed by the club which enabled startup of the program. The
van rotates among 5M7 clubs who sponsor it for a designated period
of time and support its maintenance.
Brenda Link, supervisor of the Wellness Van at
Mercy Hospital, has provided leadership to ensure operation of the
van since 1992. Mercy & Unity Hospitals partnered with the Lions to
operate the van, providing staffing to screen visitors’ glucose,
cholesterol and blood pressure. Test results of screenings are sent
to participants through the mail. Testing has supported the Lions’
longstanding mission to prevent blindness which can be caused by
diabetes. Mercy & Unity Hospitals continue to staff the van and are
partially compensated by a $15 per person screening fee, paid by the
hosting Lions club.
“The Wellness Van screened 24, 678 residents for
illnesses in its first 10 years of operation. About 33 percent of
those tested were found to have medium to high risks for targeted
diseases,” said Anoka County Commissioner Dan Erhart. “Mr. Benson
and Ms. Link are to be thanked for their efforts to improve public
health in Anoka County,” said Commissioner Erhart.
Lyla Pagels, the recipient of an individual public
health recognition award, is being recognized for her assistance in
program development that honors the health needs of residents in
many ways.
“Lyla’s initiative in developing support for Anoka
County residents dealing with some of life’s hardest times has
afforded our residents important opportunities for personal growth,
grief support, physical and spiritual healing,” said Anoka County
Commissioner Jim Kordiak.
Pagels has provided essential leadership in the
successful development of the Health Ministries Network of
Minnesota. This nonprofit, interfaith group is committed to
encouraging, supporting and providing resources to those developing
whole person ministries. Pagels also has been involved in successful
partnerships that created and expanded the Anoka County Senior
Caregiver Network’s Gathering sites, the NW Hennepin Faith Community
Nurse Network and grief support programs in Anoka County. She has
assisted curriculum development for faith communities regarding
domestic violence and appropriate faith community responses. A new
group formed from these efforts, Partners in Faith for Peace (PIFP),
has supported the spiritual needs of battered women and their
children through several initiatives. Pagels serves as an adjunct
faculty member in providing the domestic violence module for faith
community nurse preparation courses at both Concordia College and
United Theological Seminary.
The public health awards were established in 2006
to recognize and honor citizens in Anoka County who devote their
time, energy and talents to improving public health in their
communities.
The selection committee, comprised of public
health professionals and community volunteers, looked for candidates
who demonstrated leadership and success in creating solutions to
public health problems. Applicants were shown to be advocates for
promoting healthy behaviors or protecting the health and safety of
county citizens.
“We’re fortunate in Anoka County to have so many
caring, talented people who give of themselves to the benefit of all
of us,” said Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah, chair of
the county’s human services committee.
download for
print
Anoka County Commissioner Scott LeDoux, center,
thanks students and advisors from Northdale Middle School and
Alexandra House for their efforts to address dating violence.
Front, left to right: Spencer Stanley, Antonio Ledezma, Yekaterina
Ivanschenko, Brittany Wimmer, Nicole Murto, Miranda Jamison, Amanda
Beauregard, Abby Fiske, Alyssa Ash, Nathalie Pedracine. Middle:
Claudia Kabella, advisor, Frances Kanneh, Stefani Malishevska,
Jessica Thurmer, Mariah Latenville, Anoka County Commissioner Scott
LeDoux, Jessica Snyder, Alexis Sementelli, Amanda Pfeifer, Mariah
Claflin, Jenni Eilertson, advisor. Back: Nyadien Giek, Dayne
Robinson, Nicole Carlsen-Bellanger, Ariel Orench, Heather Murto,
Lindsey Thaemert, Matt Swanson, Emily Anne Burger, Dustin Johnson,
Dawn Rutt, advisor, Northdale Principal Laurie Jacklitch.
download for print
Anoka County Commissioner
Dennis Berg, right, presents a public health award to the Ramsey
Lions, represented by Gary Munkholm.
download for
print
Lois Benson and Brenda Link receive a public health
award recognizing the Lions Wellness Van from Anoka County
Commissioner Dan Erhart.
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print
Anoka County Commissioner Jim
Kordiak thanks Lyla Pagels for her leadership in developing programs
that help people during hard times.
download for
print
Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah, center,
thanks students from Northdale Middle School in Coon Rapids for
their efforts to raise awareness about dating violence. Left to
right: Nichole Carlsen-Bellanger, Ariel Orench, Mariah Latenville,
Sivarajah, Heather Murto, Jessica Snyder, Jessica Thurmer.
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page last updated -
04/14/2008
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